Corruption – Episode 7
Corruption – Episode 7
© Akoto Alexander
Lawyer Abena Dapaah: Thank you for asking such important question Kofi Dumor, the president whom I have never met personally until this afternoon swept me off my feet. For the president to appoint me as a member of his cabinet ministers, then he saw something good or unique in me that is why he deemed it fit to add me to his appointees. I with my clean hearted have accepted the offer and challenge thrown at me and I stand here to tell everyone that I will do my maximum best when I am officially accepted by the vetting committee. Thank you for having me on your super fabulous channel, may God bless Ghana. (walks away)
Kofi Dumor: Well our lovely viewers both home and in your respective offices, if you just tuned in then you have missed a lot. Some moments ago his Excellency the president gave out some names of his first ministerial appointees and also I just spoke with an appointee who pledged to give her utmost best when she passes through the vetting committee successfully. I can see one of the appointees coming my way so I will try and engage him in a little conversation. Hello honourable, welcome to TV1 and Radio1.
Hon. Asare: Thank you very much for having me on your powerful channel and greetings to your cherished viewers.
Kofi Dumor: Thank you too for accepting to speak with me sir, Honourable can you please tell me or better still us on your take on the appointments that was made a short while ago.
Hon. Asare: Thank you Kofi for this question, well I must say I for once am very pleased with the names the president mentioned. I must confess the list is a very rich blend which have a collection of almost every party member being called upon, I know his Excellency has a lot of surprises for us and I have only kept my fingers crossed for more surprises.
Kofi Dumor: Honourable before you take leave of us, are you pleased with the appointment you got and how do you receive it?
Hon. Asare: Kofi who am I not to say am not pleased with my appointment? Whatever has happened here is the Lord’s doing and it is marvellous in my sight. I am rather honored to be given such a great privilege to work for the president and that of mother Ghana. His Excellency is the best person who knows where to place everyone who will work in his government, I know he has done his background check very well hence giving various positions to us. I am now going to prepare for the vetting committee and trust me if they approve of me, with the help of the president, I will work to turn things around for the good citizen of Ghana. I together with Mr President will make the immpossible possible for the good people of this country to see the difference in our government. We were voted into power not to complain or give excuses because Ghanaians will not forgive us if we don’t deliver on our promises we gave the noble citizens of this country when we were campaigning and seeking for their votes. I want to assure Ghanaians that this government led by His Excellency President Reedolf Mensah will change the affairs and economy of this country within the shortest time in office and at the end we will all give testimonies to the good works of this government. On this note I will rest my case and proceed to meet some of the invited guest over here, long live Ghana, long live the good citizens of this country. Thank you (walks away)
Kofi Dumor: Thank you very much for speaking with us and giving us your word to stir the economy of this country when you assume office hopefully. Wendy am seeing Hon. Johnson coming my way, let me speak with him to find out what he also thinks about the appointment and what he has to offer. Hello Hon. Johnson, welcome to TV1. Can you please tell me what you make of today’s function.
Hon. Johnson: Today’s event marks the beginning of a new dawn Kofi, my greetings to your cherished viewers. As you saw earlier on, the president gave names out that even took me by surprise, our young but energetic president decided to surprise us by bringing on board some new faces from our comrades from the other political parties to join us push the good agenda forward.
Kofi Dumor: Well honourable share with us, are you comfort with the sector the president put you?
Hon. Johnson: Hahahahaha Kofi, one thing people don’t know is that I am into agric and my first degree at the university was in agricultural. I hid that but I never knew Mr President had a way of digging into people’s pass, I for one is very okay and comfortable at the place I have been positioned. I will introduce again into the system the old extension officers education where the officers go round to educate our farmers who lack innovative ideas in the farming business. Also when I am accepted by the vetting committee, I will speak to the president to give loans to farmers who are not financially strong, also we will reduce the prices of weedicide, pesticide and fertilizers for farmers so that it can enhance farming. Kofi there are a lot of things I have under my sleeves if I get the nod to be the agricultural minister. Please let me run along so you get the chance to interview other appointees. May God bless our homeland Ghana and make us strong. (walks on)
Kofi Dumor: Wendy it’s getting interesting over here as every appointee has a new plan to bring on board to make Ghana the new heaven on earth.
TV Anchor: Kofi thank you very much with your hardwork at the seat of the presidency. Our other colleagues are out there to sort out the opinions of Ghanaians as to the names the president mentioned so let me crossover to them as you continue interviewing the other appointees. Those we can’t get their interview live, we will find time to telecast the entire video later to our viewers. Now if Doris Serwah Ntim, you can hear me, please tell us where you are now and what the people there have to say to us.
Doris S. Ntim: Wendy currently I am in the Agbogbloshie Market right now where our darling station mounted a big giant screen for the busy market women to also follow the current things happening in Ghana. As at now I have a few market women here who want to say a word or two about what happened at the presidency. Madam good afternoon, welcome to TV1 and can you please tell us your take on what you just saw on the screen a short while ago.
Market Woman: (in a very hasty way) Madam me erh, I swear I love the president. Everything about him is good and I support him in anything that he does, you see how he brought people from the other political parties to join him rule the country? For those people please don’t come and pour sand in our gari with any corrupt activities oooo. Lastly I will say thank you to the new agric minister for saying he will give loans to poor farmers and also reduce fertilizer for them to get more harvest and also reduce their foodstuffs for us to sell. (other women scream at what their colleague said)
Doris S. Ntim: Well madam to clear the airwaves, those whoses names were mentioned have not be approved yet, they have to go through a vetting process and if they come out clean they will be sworn in as ministers by the president.
Back at the village:
Twum Boafo: Ah this youngman is very versatile and dynamic, see the way he has managed to bring others from the other political parties on board to stir affairs of the country. I have this strong zeal that in no time he will change the fortunes of this country and we will all enjoy.
Mrs Twum Boafo: This is all what you are good at, sitting behind this stupid wireless radio to pass unnecessary comments on things that will not put food on your table. You better put yourself to good use or else I will advice myself accordingly. (gives a loud hiss and walks away)
Junior: Daddy I don’t like the way mom talks to you recently. She speaks to you like you are a small boy but if I can recall, when we were in the city she accorded you with much respect but now she speaks to you any how. Why is it so?
Twum Boafo: I like how brilliant you are my son, before I say anything I will start by saying that, you only know the true colours of the woman you are with after you have fell from grace to grass or possibly lost everything you once owned or had. You were a witness to how things were when we were living in the city and I was working, I foolishly followed the advice your mother gave me and that led to my downfall but all the same I will carry my cross alone and not complain.
Junior: Daddy so does it mean all women are the same or some are different? If they are not all the same, how do I know a good woman when I come across one in the future?
Twum Boafo: I love your level of intelligence my boy, our elders say the frog’s length is only measured after its death. The bible also says “by their fruits, they shall be known”, my son when you meet a good woman her way of doing things, dressing and addressing people she doesn’t know tells a lot about her, as time goes on I will walk you through some things so you understand women very well so you don’t end up like me.
Mrs Twum Boafo: God punish you over there Kwame Boafo, you sit this boy down and always paint me black. Continue creating enmity between my son and I, you have brought me here to make life unbearable for me and if I complain I then become the devil. You have not seen anything yet you useless and evil man. We shall see what you will eat this evening you good for nothing man, you think………
Junior: (cuts in) Mom I don’t like the way you have been talking to daddy lately. You keeping yelling, screaming, insulting and abusing daddy just anyhow. You better stop this attitude or else I……….
Mrs Twum Boafo: (cuts in) Or else what you ungrateful brat? One more word from you and I will slap the foolishness that has crawled its way into your stupid head. One more word from you and you will see the other side of me.
Twum Boafo: Junior no more harsh words from you to your mom. Apologies to her immediately for any harsh word you have addressed her with.
Junior: (in an unremorse way) Am sorry for any word I used towards you. (walks away from his parent)
Mrs Twum Boafo: Well done Kwame Twum for brainwashing our son and turning him against me. Am not surprised because our elders say, the crab never gives birth to a bird offspring. I will show you people the stuff am made up of in the coming day, I try my very best everyday to put food on the table and what do I get from you two? You gang up on me and call me names, we shall see in this dilapidated house. (walks away from her husband)
Twum Boafo: (talks to himself) Herh so is this how my end is going to be? Someone who commanded money and authority some few months ago is now taking orders and instructions from my wife. A woman whom I married, changed the fortunes of her family, rebranded her into a top class woman now calling me names. When a woman becomes the one to take care of the house for just a week, she jumps on the neck of the man and uses the man’s face to rub the floor. That young musician called Sarkodie indeed was right that, if you don’t have money you head is like the goat’s head. (moves from where he was sitting to check up on his son)
What advice will you give to Twum Boafo right now?
Did Twum Boafo Junior do the right thing by challenging his mom openly?
Is it true that when women are given the power to rule, lead or govern they abuse the power?
To be continued
patience