Edward Akufo-Addo, father of President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, was Ghana’s ceremonial President between 1970 and 1972.
Prior to that, Edward Akufo-Addo had served as Chief Justice for the Republic from 1966 – 1970.
Whilst serving as Head of State for the country, Ghana’s Ministerial Secretary of Finance then was the current Finance Minister, Kenneth Ofori-Atta’s father, Jones Ofori-Atta, who was Edward Akufo-Addo’s cousin.
History has it that, Jones borrowed haphazardly to the extent that Ghana could not afford to pay its debts anymore, which some people believe is part of the reasons leading to the overthrow of the Busia government by Ignatius Kutu Acheampong.
The equation seems to have repeated itself about five decades later with son of then ceremonial president Edward Akufo-Addo becoming president of the Republic whilst Jones Ofori-Atta, the Ministerial Secretary of Finance then, has had his son also becoming Finance Minister being William Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta respectively.
Juxtaposing Ghana’s current economic situation with that of about five decades ago, broadcaster Blessed Godsbrain Smart is asking if “there is any generational conspiracy against Ghana by the Akyem Mafias?”
Captain Smart has earleir referred to the Akufo-Addo family as Akyem Mafias regarding how the President has surrounded himself with his relatives without performing.
READ ALSO: Mahama warned you of these ‘Akyem Mafias’ – Captain Smart to Bawumia
Speaking Thursday, February 9, 2023, on Onua TV/FM’s Maakye in the Akoma FM studio in Kumasi, Captain Smart said Ghanaians then called on Edward Akufo-Addo to sack Jones Ofori-Atta due to how poor he handled the economy but refused, just as it is being replicated today between Ken Ofori-Atta and Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
He argued the rate at which Ken Ofori-Atta has borrowed, leaving the nation in debt just like his father did might not be a mere coincidence but rather some conspiracy against the nation.
With the minister’s bank taking about 10% of every bond Ghana raises as financial advisors to the state, Captain Smart maintained Ken Ofori-Atta and his Databank have made millions of dollars from the state, a conflict of interest situation which made the Harvard graduate plunder the nation into ditch of debt for his personal gains.
Owing to his abysmal performance, members of the NPP government have called for the resignation or sacking of the Finance Minister yet he is still in power.
Many believe the President has been adamant to the calls for Ofori-Atta’s ousting because they are cousins.
Ghana’s debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio according to the Bank of Ghana’s latest report is 93.5 per cent. Meanwhile, some people say it is a cooked figure to save the government from shame, alleging the true figure is around 130 per cent to the GDP including a Professor of Economics from the Harvard University, Steve Hanke.
By Felix Anim-Appau|Onuaonline.com
