Open Letter to the Minority Leader of Parliament on Operative of Komenda Sugar Factory and the Planned Demo on 30 July 2024 against BoG

Dear Hon Dr Ato Forson, the Minority Leader in the Parliament of Ghana

Wishing you are doing very well.
Please recent events on Komenda Sugar Factory as cast or being championed by Joy news effective news of 24 July 2024 and the planned demo by the Parliamentary caucus under your able leadership against Bank of Ghana on 30 July 202 have motivated me as an experienced Senior Citizen to share my thoughts with you and my other younger compatriots on issues for national development in order to ensure the rapid advancement of this great Nation of ours before we join God in Heaven.

Operation of Komenda Sugar Factor
With the genes of Bogobiri, implying fighting spirit genes, combined with my good knowledge in Agricultural Science, Economics as well as my deep knowledge of national issues and above all with the support of Allah or Almighty God from whom all knowledge emanates from, hence with good knowledge since 2018, I made several good submissions on the Komenda Sugar Factory.

Please, these were through Open letters, written separately to the President of Ghana, Speaker of Parliament, to a former or then Minister of Trade and Industry namely Hon Mr Alan Kyerematen, to my dear brother his Excellency Ex-President Mahama etc and as published online on the vehicle of the reputable Modern Ghana Media House. To ensure proper action or no dragging of feet, I travelled to Jubilee House Accra to personally give a hard copy of the mail to the President of Ghana at Jubilee House, which I did submit to the Office of the President of Ghana

On the morning of 24 July 2024, I monitored news casted by Joy News with Hon Mr Kojo Nkrumah and others who indicated that the Parliament of Ghana especially the Minority Caucus under your leadership is the one sabotaging or sabotaged or against the effective operation of the Komenda Sugar Factory for not allowing waiver of tax for the importation of raw sugar to feed the Sugar Refinery.

Please we need to do away with political bickering if this nation is to advance. So I want to be very honest and factual hence no political undertones but godly facts, since I am to manifest the genes of Bogobiri. So pardon me to repeat that the news report indicated that you kicked against the request from the Ministry of Trade to Parliament for the removal or waiver of taxes on the importation of cheap raw sugar from Brazil other areas to feed the Komenda Sugar Factory.

Please, if this is true then check in the national archives for the Report of Embrampa Consult of Brazil as commissioned in 2008 by both the Government of Brazil and Ghana for the feasibility report on Sugar Production Series involving the three standalones segments of namely Sugar cane production plantation, Sugar Mill and Sugar Refinery or Factory in Ghana. Otherwise, Google for my Open letter to the Speaker of Parliament for the operative of Komenda Sugar Factory or Google for Spatial Assessment of Sugar Cane production to feed the Komenda Sugar Factory Ghana by David Yawson and other experts from the University of Cape Coast and you will see that the Ghana Sugar Production Series was wrongly cited at Komenda.

You may also contact the Office of Cargill International Ghana for their opinion on Komenda for sugar production which they rendered to the late President Mills. Otherwise, look for the comprehensive report submitted to the Military Regime of the NLC under the leadership of General Ankrah on the State of Ghana’s economy during the regime of President Dr Kwame Nkrumah. You may also check on how the regime of Dr Liman got the Komenda Sugar Factory running with imported raw sugar until the regime of the PNDC gave it a deathblow.

All reports on Komenda submitted to the Government of Ghana from the regime of Dr Kwame Nkrumah to the regime of President Mahama indicated that Komenda is not a good place for a major Sugar Factory in Ghana.

Please, Former President Mahama, now the Flag bearer for the Presidential slot for the election in December 2024 on the ticket of the NDC, a very honest and genuine person should be contacted for the report of the feasibility studies made in Ghana especially at Komenda and Savelegu by the Omanicane Flexi Sugar Production of Mauritius etc. He will honestly if he fears God, give the answer that the Sugar Production series was wrongly cited in Komenda by the Ministry of Trade and Industry when Hon Ekow Spio Garbah was the Minister, I am envisaged or sure that he sidelined or did not involve the Ministry of Agric in the for reviving or establishing a sugar factory in Ghana.

Experts at Cargill International Accra or competent experts Cape Coast University especially one David Yawson will confirm my assertion that importation of cheap raw sugar from Brazil or elsewhere to feed Komenda Sugar Factory is the best option for Ghana to revive the wrongly cited Komenda Sugar Factory, Period.

So please support the import substitution policy of the Minister of Trade and Industry for the production of sugar for domestic consumption and ethanol for export to EU etc for hard currency to boost the economy of Ghana. This will also help in the establishment of a 24 hour economy to generate jobs for the youth of Ghana. Note a Sugar Refinery with enough raw sugar feed is capable operating 24hours or 24/7 since there is very good market for both Sugar and ethanol. Since 24 hour economy is market driven and not by government policy alone.

Feeding the wrongly cited Komenda Sugar Refinery with imported raw Sugar is the best option for Ghana because based on the economy theory of comparative advantage, common sense will tell that currently Brazil and other Countries are better than Ghana in production of sugar.

So importation of raw sugar is sine qua non. Whilst effort is made to ensure massive production of sugarcane which is a grass plant of C4 Plant family like Guinea Corn or Corn hence the best area for Sugar Production Series including Sugar Factory is at Savelegu. It is well documented that Savelegu has better conditions than Sao Paulo in Brazil, the leading producer of sugar in the World or same condition as in Sao Paulo in Brazil for sugarcane production, as confirmed by the Brazilians themselves. So, if Ghana is very serious in her bid to improve the economy fundamentals then Savelegu should be our choice and not Komenda. Otherwise we are Country of jokers or buffoons.

So let me say again that in terms of the economy theory of comparative advantage for the production of sugar in Ghana, Savelegu in the North East Region close to River Daka which is part of River Volta or the grassland of the northern sector is the best area for Sugar Production. Coincidentally, the North is the area of Vice President Dr Bawumia and Former President Mahama one of whom will be the President of Ghana effective 2025. So the two of them should factor this in their respective manifesto. Otherwise a Sugar Refinery at Tema for feeding it with imported raw sugar to be supplemented with raw sugar from Sugar Mills in Ghana.

Please note that for a raw material for a Sugar Refinery, the Sugar Farm or Plantation must be within 40km radius to the Sugar Mill but a Sugar Refinery can be located at any place that is economical to do so. Since Sugar Production Series consists of three Standalones of (a) Sugar Plantation, (b). Sugar Mill which must be collocated or within 40km of radius and (c). Sugar Refinery which can be located thousands of miles away from the Sugar Mill but near to a sea Port or a Port as part of a contingency plan to use imported raw sugar as and when necessary to sustain a 24 hour economy or to meet or sustain market demand. So in Ghana Sugar Refinery at Tema for proximity to the Port and the accrual of the benefits of the economies of location of an industry is the best option to make easier and cheaper for ethanol exportation.

Planned Demo against Bank of Ghana
Members of Parliament are the representatives of the electorates in Parliament for them to speak on national issues either in support of or in opposition to a government policy or a piece of legislation. Members may also address constituent concerns during debate, scrutinize details including budgets and agreements on Ghana matters or ask question of Ministers during question time and work to create or amend law

So Parliament has the Sovereign Power to invite other Arms of Government to give an account of a national issue or matters of their areas. Hence, the Judicial or the Executive arm of government including Independent Executive Constitutional Bodies like the Auditor General, Bank of Ghana, the EC are on the invitation of Parliament to respond to political or economic or social questions accepted by the Speaker of Parliament for their appearance in Parliament. This is a Constitutional injunction, so affected agencies are duly bound by the Constitution of Ghana to appear before Parliament to speak on their budget or activities other matters of national concern as recently observed when the EC under Mrs Jean Mensah and her team were in Parliament in last week of July 2024 to answer questions.

So please invite the Bank of Ghana through the Speaker of Parliament to Parliament and question them on whatever problems you have with the Bank even if you want the Governor of the Bank of Ghana to resign use Constitutional tools to do so.

Please do not demean the sovereign powers or Authority of Parliament as granted by the Constitution of Ghana and thus bring the integrity of Parliament into disrepute or ridicule. I want you to adopt the good method of the Republicans or the opposition Party in USA did by inviting the Director of the Secret Service to Congress and scolded her for the attempted assassination of Mr Donald Trump. She resigned after appearing in Parliament (Congress) of USA where she was drilled by answering to questions on the security plan or deployment her Outfit put in place for the forum which had Mr Donald Trump as a key speaker.

Please be educated that Demonstration beside employed in a market strategy as a roadshow to draw the attention of the public to a product or an issue, is a tool mainly used by subordinates (in an organization or Country or professionals or a person or group of persons say labour, students, traders) to get their grievances address or to speak on a concern of interest or to make a demand or to register a protest or to speak the truth to a superior power.

Demo can be used as a diplomatic or political tool by show of force by a country or the Security Agency or or by a lesser authority or lesser powerful Country to gain sympathy or as a protest. Hence, a demo may also be organized by a Government or a Country as a show of force against potential enemy, terrorists’ dissidents or a tool by a Government to register her protest against a superpower or against an enemy Country, Example North Korea demo against USA/South Korea. Or diplomatic tool like economy blockage by UN or USA to get good governance for affected minority people or to gain a particular objectives

Bur normally Demo is part of Freedom of expression which include (a) Demo as an action to stand for a cause or to deal with concern which the affected element is powerless and this may by marching or picketing or a sit down.

So the right to peaceful demo by subordinates and others is guaranteed internally by the Constitution and by International Convention by article 21 and 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (right of peaceful assembly, and right of association (the right to protest may be manifestation the right to freedom of speech etc).

Hon MPs must always uphold the Constitution and laws of Ghana. Action of Hon MPs must be towards to sustain the safety and honor of their Nation herein Ghana. So, Hon Minority Leader, from the above you will agree with me that the planned demo against Bank or Ghana, an inferior Constitutional Body by Parliament (through a subsection of Parliament as a Minority Group) hence a superior Constitutional body which coequals arms of government are only the other two Arms as the Executive Arm under the President and the Judiciary Arm under the Chief Justice as provided by the Constitution.

So, please do not out of ignorance or unknowingly or let your political party push you and others of the Minority subsection of Parliament to behave like hooligans or inferior Authority and thus attempt to cause significant damages to the reputation and integrity of Parliament hence Unparliamentary act. Since Parliament as a superior Authority must be seen by the Public ordering or inviting the Governor of Bank of Ghana to report to Parliament to response to a Constitutional or political or economic or financial question. Please Parliament through her any of her segments must not be on the street demo.

So please reason with me an abort the planned demo against Bank of Ghana and invite the Governor of Bank of Ghana through the good Office of the Speaker to report to Parliament to response to any matter of concern to the nation for public good.

Please emulate the good acts by the Republican Party in USA hence your counterpart as the opposition party in the World though of different political ideology. So you need to the right thing or way as provided by the Constitution a good act by you will tantamount to upholding the Constitution and thus your legacy for the emulation by future generations. So do not set a bad precedence in the World or Ghana.

Let me remind you that Bank of Ghana, is granted independence by the 1992 Constitution and by an Act of Parliament especially by the Bank of Ghana Act 2002 (Act612) which gave Bank of Ghana total independent status. So Bank of Ghana by the Theory of the Constitution and requirements of a Bank especially Central Bank, though an Independent Constitutional Body needs to adhere to the principles of Transparency, Probity and Accountability as in the Constitution.

So despite the Constitutional and Statutory granted Independence in Decision making, Financial matters especially Policy making, Operational/Regulatory Independence as granted to Bank of Ghana as provided by the original Bank of Ghana Ordinance 1957 which was restored by the Constitution and the Bank of Ghana Act 612 of 2002m but as an Executive Body, the Central Bank is also answerable to the Peoples Representatives or Parliament which consists of the two segments of Majority and Minority Groups.

Please Profit made by Bank of Ghana or any Central Bank in the World is for the Bank’s management with the Board to deicide and communicate to the Share Holders, that is the Government of the day through the Minister of Financer give it to the Government to spend and should not be treated as a dividend because the Bank is not expected to make profit but loses for public good.

So construction of the new Headquarters by Bank of Ghana with profit made is not questionable if within PPA approval. The construction of the new bungalow as Official accommodation for the Governor is subject to the approval of the Board and the Bank and must act in accordance with procurement laws of Ghana through the PPA. Variation in the price of a project should not be news if it is to take care of Security, Safety, Health and Environmental etc interest. The house is not going to be taken away by the Governor at the end of his tenure Period. NDC especially then Vice President JD Mahama spoke against the construction of the Jubilee House by President Kofour but when President Mills died he ran away from the Castle as the seat of Government to occupy the chicken Coop as alleged by him, so let us mature with our politics.

I wish and pray you will reason with me and act appropriately.

Best regards Sir.
Major Mohammed Bogobiri (rtd)
Contact number with the Editor of Modern Ghana