The Hostility Of Cairo

I was one of those lucky fans, but also courageous Ghanaians who dared to enter into Cairo Tuesday 19th November 2013 to cheer our national team the Black Stars in that final encounter which qualified Ghana into the 2014 FIFA WORLD CUP in Brazil. There was so much talk about insecurity in Cairo prior to the game. With a military government in place there after the overthrow of the Democratically elected president this year, It seemed to our minds, or at least, to my mind, that we were going into a rowdy city. Cheerfully, It was not. Well, we went into a quiet city. Even though we the fans were asked to report at the Kotoka airport here in Accra at 12:00 midnight, all the process at the Kotoko airport lasted between that time and 5: 30 am Tuesday morning. Imagine such a long night standing between siting, talking and walking. We finally took off with a chatted Egypt Air flight lasting six hrs to Cairo. It was like sitting in a bus from Accra to Bolgatanga, so long and boring at some point. When I first sat in the flight,I said to myself, well, Egypt is better than Ghana, at least, in that they own a national career. I imagined how Much government of Ghana was paying the Egyptians to carry us on their own plane from Accra to Cairo and back to Accra, simply because as a nation, we have failed woefully in managing our own national career which was established by our forebears and collapsed because of a lack of discipline on the part of our political and business leaders over the years. So lets say that I began that journey with some thoughts of Lamentations for Mother Ghana. There were all categories of fans. Some called themselves GOLDEN AGE SUPPORTERS UNION, JM SUPPORTS BLACK STARS, APSU etc etc. there were also some of us who were unlabeled. I went to Cairo as a journalist. We arrived in Cairo airport at mid - day to be welcomed to Egypt by the smell of Tobacco all over the place. Cairo is definitely a smoking city. And if what we witnessed in Cairo is anything to go by, Egypt is a smoking nation. Almost every airport worker was smoking tobacco in the open. Cairo airport even have 'smoking rooms' where workers and travelers can seclude themselves and cloud themselves in tobacco smoke. At the airport, one Ghanaian supporter was detained briefly for entering into Cairo without a valid visa. How he managed to do that remains a mystery. Refreshingly, there was a free WiFi here at the Cairo airport which enabled me to post one photograph on my Facebook wall to announce our arrival to Cairo that afternoon. The buses were waiting outside of the airport. With a suit - wearing driver accompanied by suit - wearing security man with a walkie - talkie in hand, each bus was supposed to be secured. We were instructed by the security man in each bus to close all curtains and not attempt to look outside the bus. Our curiosity to see the streets of Cairo did not allow some of us to strictly adhere to that sort of instruction. I tried to look as the buses moved in a convoy. I noticed too many construction works and excavations going on in Cairo, or at least, along the route that was taken by our buses. The landscape had the semblance of a desert. The driver pulled over at a hotel named Le Passage. We the supporters were again instructed by the security man on the buses to remain seated. Of course, we obliged. Soon, food was brought into the buses. Each one for a box of assorted food and fruit. In addition to rice and chicken, there were vegetables and pastries. I had a piece of banana on my plate. Something was missing and everyone noticed it - water. These desert warriors don't play with water. When we loudly demanded water, it took the security man on the bus not less than ten minutes to give us a hostile response of '' no water, only food, no water''. He was very stern in his demeanor and gesticulation. I couldn't understand. I needed water much more than I needed food that afternoon. On the top of my voice, I shouted out ' Is this how you welcome visitors to Egypt? First thing we give to visitors in Ghana is water. Give us water now or take your food'. That shout only worsened by thirst as I didn't even get a glimpse from the security man in response. He ignored us completely, then I remembered that we are not in democratic Ghana where people can demand their due - there was a military government in - charge of Egypt. So with solid food in the stomach without water, we headed for the 30th June stadium which also is a military encampment. There were more soldiers than there were fans. Apart from the guns in their hands, almost all those I saw also had cigarettes in their hands. Cigarettes must be the cheapest thing in Cairo. Even journalists were distracted from their work by the cigarettes in their hands. At the entrance, a friend of mine dared to borrow a cigarette from one Egyptian security man. ' Can I borrow a cigarette' ? He requested whiles stretching his hand. And here comes the rude awakening. ' You want cigarette? Bring money' responded, the Egyptian man, unwilling to part with a free cigarette to a Ghanaian visitor. My insistent friend decided to give the Egyptians a lesson on hospitality. 'You have to welcome me to Cairo with a free cigarette ' he said whiles stretching his hand to receive one. He got it finally, accompanied by fire to light, it took us into our stands. Here, we saw a couple Ghanaian supporters holding some bottles of water. They bought each bottle for US$7. Water is Gold on this desert called Egypt. Of course, some of us couldn't afford it - even if it was sold in Gh cedis. Understandably, our energies were low at the stadium. Our voices too sounded horrible considering the dry throats we used. Determined to cheer our black stars, we still tried to put up a good performance but these desert warriors won't let us. With laser lights, they beamed into our eyes offensively - and they did it without apology. If they were not pointing it at our players on the field, they were on us the supporters on the stands. It was so irritating, you have no idea. The hostility of Cairo was coming to it's peak. I am sure you saw it on on television. With US$ 1m winning bonus promise from the military government determined to hold on to power by any means necessary, the Egyptian players put up their best performance. As we cheered, we debated the US $ 1m. Could these power usurpers, who we are told, have been denied funds by their American friends and allies, really afford a million dollars for each Egyptian player if they beat Ghana by more than 5 goals to qualify for Brazil 2014? or were the soldiers just yapping?Some of us argued that their promise was just a populist move - one of those discredited communist inferior tactics usually employed by soldiers everywhere to get the support of the masses. The Egyptian military rulers knew that it was near impossible to beat the black stars of Ghana with so many goals to qualify them for Brazil World Cup. Nevertheless, that tactic employed by the military regime went as far as energizing the Egyptian football players beyond reasonable doubt. According to what I saw on the pitch, their formula was ' If you miss the ball, don't miss the man' and they had a timid referee to give them back up. Unfortunately for the Egyptians that day, God was a Ghanaian. Sending us back home after the game wasn't such a daunting task for the Egyptians. We left the military stadium at about 10 pm under full military protection and direction straight to that same hotel where we got lunch without water earlier in the afternoon. This time, we were allowed to disembark and walk into the hotel where assorted dinner - and of course water for the first time since we arrived in Egypt - was waiting for us. Just imagine the stampede from thirsty and hungry foot soldiers turned black stars supporters who were asked to serve themselves. Many foot soldiers headed first for water - naturally. Others went for food without knowing it's names or tastes. That seemed like a recipe for disappointment. One foot soldier after loading his plate with tasteless junk food came to sit by me. Upon his first attempt at tasting the food, he turned round to ask me ' what food is this' ?....but amazed by his unreasonable question, I asked him why he didn't ask that question before fetching the food. He left immediately to replace. Whiles here, I gulped at least 5 gargantuan glasses of water, plus, there was another free WiFi to power my iPad which was now full of interesting pictures from Cairo which I wanted to share with my social media friends. I took advantage immediately. This other guy had been so famished without water the whole day he decided to harvest water from the various tables after dinner. He carried with him two empty bottles, and from where he got those bottles, I don't know since the Egyptians did not serve their water in bottles. As he harvested, he got to a table near us but occupied by Egyptian security men. He found a glass full of water. The owner, a security man, had gone for more food. As he emptied the glass of water into his bottle, the owner returned and caught him in the act. The Egyptian was uncharitable as he grabbed the glass of water with anger and replaced it on the table to the disappointment of the Ghanaian foot soldier. Visibly angry at the very provincial act of the Ghanaian soccer fan, the Egyptian security man began an amusing narrative to all his colleagues who were willing to listen and laugh off the night. Such a worthy ambassador of Ghana! I felt ashamed as a Ghanaian witness. Anyways, the Ghanaian ambassador to Egypt, Alhaji Said Sinare who welcomed us into Egypt in the afternoon was also at the Cairo airport that night to give us a goodbye handshake as part of his diplomatic routine after late dinner. When I got into the returning flight, I concluded that Cairo was undoubtedly hostile to us. May be hostility is their nature but who knows, it could have been out of their envy over us going to Brazil at their expense. A desperate man is capable of anything including hostility. What ever be the case, we had the last laugh. I say ayeekoo Black stars! Brazil, here we come. And hopefully, the Brazilians being half Africans and not Arabians, we may come home with a better story of hospitality to tell come next year. Amenga -Etego Akaabitono SaCut - The writer is a political journalist, broadcaster and ghost writer.

Open letter to Victoria Hammah

Dear Victoria Hammah, I have heard the news of your dismissal from the governing regime of Ghana by his excellency the President John Dramani Mahama. It was deeply saddening, not for me, but for you - I can imagine.I first heard the news of your recorded conversation. When I heard it, I had no doubt it was your voice because I know you and how you try to speak with authority on some of these intra party political machinations. I always knew it was going to end like this with you - brought down by the media - just that I didn't know it would come this soon. I knew it not because I was praying for it, but because I have had arguments with you on how you carry yourself about in your media relations. First of all, you know that you and I worked together long before you even dreamt of running for that parliamentary seat that you obviously knew you will lose. We did the weekly radio show together. I brought you on the radio show frequently to 'patronize your political godfathers', as you always put it. You once even got into a near physical fight with an NPP guest during my show before the elections. I was surprised but happy when you got appointed by the president as deputy communications minister. Do you remember that I came to your office a couple of months after your appointment to visit you? You told me you enjoyed the publicity you received from your vetting. We started a discussion on negative and positive publicity. Your stand was that you enjoy any form of publicity - negative or positive. You just wanted to be in the media. I disagreed with your chosen methods. I told you about image building and the need to take it easy with negative publicity but you remained adamant. Indeed Vic, you continued to enjoy your negative publicity with a social media publication that sought to indict your party foot-soldiers making demands on you - demands that are capable of forcing you or any other public official to steal from the public coffers to satisfy them. You even got a public applause for that and I guess that spurred you on and on until you were caught on video and audio reading the wrong speech to the right audience. You interrupted your own speech in a very embarrassing manner and ridiculed yourself before the world in that episode. I guess you enjoyed that one as well? Victoria, do you still remember vividly when we met recently during the one - week funeral of the mother of one of our mutual friends, Randy Abbey, at his residence here in Accra?That day we took a stroll down to the house of Mr. Silverster Mensah which is very close by. On our arrival there we met with Abdul - Malik Kwaku Baako who was just leaving Sylvester Mensah's residence. That day we had a heated argument. Do you remember the bone of contention? I can remember it and I wish to remind you of your own words. That day I asked that you be careful - again - with the way you try to handle issues with the media. I said to you that the manner in which you allowed who ever to use such strong language in attacking the media after your aborted speech scandal in a press statement was counter productive and could spell your doom especially if you became the main target of the media. I said to you the media is too powerful for such an approach from a mere deputy minister of state. I also said to you that if you want to succeed with the media, you must learn to make friends with media practitioners rather than fighting with them and making yourself a target. And do you remember your response to me? You told me in my face that you could fight the media. You also asked me if I knew the number of stories you have managed to 'kill' in the last couple of months? You were emphatic that all was under your control and my knowledge and experience as a journalist was irrelevant in your scheme of things. I felt very saddened that you will be digging your own grave and refusing to accept free professional advice. But that was our last conversation regarding how you conduct yourself. You listened to some of us on issues of media before you became a deputy minister of state in this government. I promoted you because I believe in the ability and participation of women in our body politic. But you suddenly became madam know- it - all - rejecting even expert ideas from some of us with contempt within such a short period of time in office. With you, I now understand when they say power corrupts, and corrupts absolutely. I was hoping that with your so - called new found power, you would have fought the media vehemently in this current saga that has led to your political demise. But obviously, you were only boasting about media power that never existed in your hands. You were sacked by the President for opening your mouth too wide on the telephone ( well the president didn't exactly say why he sacked you but we all know) without even giving you the opportunity to resign with a little dignity left in you. What a shame! Does that mean the million dollar dream is cut short? And talking about a million dollars, may I ask you where you actually intended to get that from? Were you going to steal it through dubious contracts? I don't think your former boss at the ministry would have passed any of such contracts to you - and especially since you accused Omane Boamah in one of your leaked tapes of taking 'kickbacks' without giving to you what you consider your due. Did you have some 'ways and means' at the ministry of communications? But if you intended to make one million dollars , why then were you complaining about the foot soldiers who trooped to your former office for favors from you? Did you intend to 'chop' all that money all by yourself? Oh that can not be an egalitarian philosophy - unless you have forgotten what the ruling NDC stand for. I also hear that you reported your former driver who is also your cousin to the police for recording that unpalatable conversation which led to your political nemesis. I can't understand why you will do that. Are you blaming him for how loosely you spoke over that telephone? For your lack of discretion? Are you sure it was your driver, and not Ayitey Basty the guy who you hired as your personal assistant and fired recently for what ever reason? Not too long ago, before the broadcast of your voice, Ayitey Basty was threatening you on social media and dared you to open your mouth. Predictably, you didn't open your mouth. I later heard from some of our mutual friends that this former personal assistant sent you a copy of the tape for a ransom earlier in that week. Could that be true? If that is so, why are you not reporting Ayitey Basty rather than your driver? Isn't it your personal assistant who had a motive of revenge after you fired him who you should be chasing? And by the way I thought ministers were no longer entitled to personal assistants at their various ministries? Anyways, I don't think the person who recorded you did any wrong. You are just lucky we have a naive police force who will arrest anybody without even establishing the relevance of the report. Indeed, if there is anybody who should have been arrested by the police, it should have been you who is heard speaking on the tape. By reporting your driver to the police for recording you secretly on a tape, you have exacerbated your ignominy with a confirmation and authentication of it's content. Now look at the bad situation you have created for your government and party? However,I think the person who published or leaked the tape for publication has been wicked to you but they cannot take blame. The only one to blame is your arrogant self - your own mouth brought you down from the day you naively conceived the idea you have the ability to fight the media. Next time you find yourself in power in the unlikely event, please don't make new friends because they are likely to be fair weather friends. But I don't doubt you know, and you will admit humbly by now that no one can fight the media no matter who they are - not even a mere incompetent deputy minister whose sole confessed objective it is in politics to make a million dollars. Take it from me. I am a journalist and I still remain your friend. Yours sincerely, Amenga -Etego Akaabitono SaCut - The writer is a political journalist, broadcaster and ghost writer

Open Letter To President Mahama

Dear President John Mahama (JM), I pray you are healthy as a fiddle to be able to carry on with the daunting task of ruling this nation Ghana. It is known to all that the inception of your presidency has been rocked with legal roadblocks - heddles that you only just recently succeeded in overcoming in our Supreme Court. Given that stagnation, it has become imperative to stamp your legitimate authority and show clear direction for all of us to work in harmony and with strategy towards achieving your set vision for this nation as the President of Ghana in this epoch of our democratic history. No doubt your presidency is the youngest regime in our recent political history. This youthfulness of your government is in the interest of good governance and in accordance with the new world order of youthful leadership and ideas taking charge of governance. And your government is not a young one only because Your Excellency is relatively young but also because majority of your appointees are young and talented - not old and experienced. It is however clear to all of us that not everyone in the NDC party hierarchy or government is impressed with your decision as a young president to rule with young appointees and advisors. Many older party people are giving you a public fight over that. Mr. President, they include Hon. Alban Bagbin, NDC MP who is also one of your 'three wise men' as well as Dr. Tony Aidoo, also a former appointee of both the late president Mills and the former President Rawlings. These and others have been speaking publicly about your government in recent times but not in palatable terms. Indeed, some of the comments from your comrades about your presidency have been very abrasive. Some of it cast a slur on your integrity. Hon. Alban Bagbin for example claims that your government is not an NDC government but a government of your family and friends. He didn't stop there Sir. He also claimed that when you became president, your appointments of your officials have not been based on meritocracy among party members or Ghanaians but based on how much financial contribution people made to your campaign not withstanding their political inclinations. At least we know that Hon. Alban Bagbin is not a strange face, and was not appointed based on his financial contribution to your campaign so he must be speaking about others - but may be because he wished for a better appointment from you than a 'wise man' - he definitely prefers silver and gold to a good name. As for him, judging from his past, I can tell that all the issues Bagbin has raised against you will disappear as soon as you give him what he wants from you beyond a 'wise man'. He did it with late President Mills. He is still relying on same old discredited tactics to achieve his personal interests. Mr. President, I know you are wise, so kindly ignore Hon. Bagbin with all the contempt he deserves. I am just short of words; otherwise I would have said he is envious of your elevated position. To make things worse, Mr. President, this appointed 'wise man' even claimed that you are attempting to fight allegations of corruption by the wrong methods of setting up committees. He has tried to convince Ghanaians that if he had access to give you wise counsel, that you would be fighting corruption differently and efficiently. The most common of the allegations against you by your comrades is that there is an iron curtain around you which restricts access to your office or home for your audience. Interestingly Mr. President, this is not a new phenomenon in the NDC. We saw it when President Mills reigned over Ghana. There were similar public allegations made not just by anybody within the party but by the NDC founder President Jerry John Rawlings. There were also similar allegations made by former Attorney - General Martin Amidu as well as former National Youth Authority boss Dr. Sekou Nkrumah. Mr. President, what I find intriguing here is that, unlike in the case of Mr. Martin Amidu and Dr. Sekou Nkrumah, when they made their public statements against the sitting president whiles being part of the same governing regime, they were immediately dismissed from government for their open disloyalty to the regime, it seems different under your reign since Hon. Alban Bagbin is still in office. Besides being dismissed from government, along with President Rawlings, Martin Amidu and Sekou Nkrumah faced the wrath of the President Mills’ appointees in the media. The party leadership especially the General Secretary always remained emphatic that there was never any justification for any member of the government or party to go public with comments that seek to ridicule Your Excellency as President and Leader of the NDC party itself. His favorite refrain has always been that all members of the party and/or government must always use the 'official party structures'. Anything short of that is condemnable by the National Executive Committee. Mr. President, we those observing from a little distance as students of Ghanaian politics and particularly NDC leadership perpetuity, can see a sharp difference and a lack of clarity from the NDC executive structure in your instance. I will not insist that you must sack Hon. Bagbin from his job for his open criticism because some of us didn't support the sacking of Mr. Martin Amidu and Dr. Sekou Nkrumah under President Mills, yes, because we believe in freedom after speech. I think your decision to still keep Hon. Alban Bagbin in office clearly differentiate you as a more tolerant President of dissenting views within your own party. Well done for not following the old ways of thinking from an intolerant point of view. However, Mr. President, it is not difficult to see the inconsistent stands taken by both government officials and party executives or even government communicators. The ruling party's General Secretary Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketia for instance, inconsistent with his previous stands in the past, failed woefully to condemn the unorthodox means used by Hon. Bagbin to make his allegations against Your Excellency. He also went ahead to endorse the allegations made against you by lending them credence when he said that those same issues had been raised within the party hierarchy at various levels. He called for cease fire on the airwaves without debunking and restating emphatically that Your Excellency’s government is a government of the NDC and the people of Ghana and NOT as Hon. Bagbin put it, a government of your family friends. Some of us find it very curious that the General Secretary of the ruling party will rather provide an exit for Hon. Bagbin to escape the heat of his unfounded allegations on the airwaves whiles at the same time allowing these allegations to remain hanging on Your Excellency’s government as though they were true. What is the difference between Mr. Martin Amidu and Mr. Alban Bagbin in the context of our democracy and the NDC? Why will Bagbin be protected by the party against the sitting President? Juxtapose that with the same party represented by the same General Secretary protecting President Mills against Mr. Martin Amidu in his public utterances barely over a year ago – I see an unprincipled party leadership acting on their own personal and parochial interests. Do you see the same thing I see here Mr. President? It will seem to some of us that there is a seeming tension between the young and the old within the ruling NDC. The young President is being resisted by the old party advisors in his youthful and progressive thinking. Unfortunately, some young people in the party and government are towing the line of the old thinkers. In my books, the old guys must be told to take a step backwards now and allow the new order to operate. They must desist from all these old political tactics and traditional mindset of so - called seniority in the party etc etc. They must immediately abandon this old notion that gives them a sense of entitlement to the NDC party, its government etc etc. As if that is not enough, official governments communicators have tended to side with the General Secretary and are now openly justifying the unfounded allegations of your 'fair weather friend' Hon. Alban Bagbin. Some few of the fire brand young appointees currently in your government were also in the last government. They were super - vociferous in their Defense of the President in the last regime of President Mills. Today, Mr. Kwesi Pratt, Alhaji Bature, Dr. Tony Aidoo, Alban Bagbin and so on are all on the rampage, accusing even your wife of creating and running a parallel presidency. I am yet to hear some of these young government appointees - some of whose godfathers by the way are among these current acidic critics of yours - come out with a defensive response to all the damaging allegations against your Excellency. At first, I was thinking that your Excellency, in accordance with your new thinking, restrained response to the allegations. However, I later read and heard a few close aids and appointees of yours make statements. Kudos to appointees like Hon. Hannah Tetteh, Stan Dogbe, Hon. Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, Hon. Joseph Yammin, Twum Boafo, Hon. Felix Kwakye Fosu for standing to be counted in the defense of Your Excellency. I also heard your Excellency recently in a speech in which you lamented the lack of comradeship and loyalty from some of your colleagues. You added that those who questioned your ability to deal with corruption do not know you. I took that as a defense of yourself and your integrity against the allegations made by people like Bagbin and co. I was not surprised to hear you personally speak in defense of your integrity since the party whose duty it is to protect you seem rather to be in cahoots with the accusers - something which is clearly against the laid down party structure and exposes great discrimination and selectivity in applying the same party rules differently to different actors. Some of us are deeply worried by this glaring and sudden inconsistency and its implications for party and government cohesion. No wonder Your Excellency thinks that some of them want to see your back even before 2016! Mr. President, I know you are a listening President. The NDC founder/former President has confirmed publicly that indeed you are. Many others who some of us have heard all say that you are a listening President – no wonder you have listened to cries of Ghanaians and reduced the price of electricity tariff to make life more bearable for your people. Sir, I have never tried to meet you and failed in my effort. May be it is because I know already I will fail in my effort so I don't make a try. But if you are truly as accessible as your aids are telling us, and to proof that Bagbin is totally wrong with his allegations, kindly tell your soldiers at your home gate to allow me entrance to come and see you for a conversation this weekend. Tell them I am bushy haired, bearded, and agitative! I am a foot soldier so I will be coming to your home on foot. Also remember that I am coming as a comrade, and NOT as a family member or friend, to give you some piece of advice on how you can succeed as President of Ghana - that is if you consider me worthy of advising Your Excellency. Yours Sincerely, Amenga - Etego Akaabitono SaCut – rasacut@gmail.com The writer is a political journalist, broadcaster & ghost writer. -- Amenga - Etego Akaabitono SaCut Political Journalist, broadcaster and ghost writer. +233277819038 +233207267072 www.sacutamenga-etego.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/sacut skype: rassacut If your chief plan is to destroy my plans, check yourself. Don't say you are just toying with my 'small plans'. I have no such small plans, as I have no such small goals. If your chief plan is to destroy my plans, I say again to you, I am like a stepping razor. I am dangerous! I go for the overkill.

Shaking Hands with Atuguba JSC on the streets

I was privileged to meet JSC Atuguba surprisingly on the street in osu yesterday. It was difficult to identify him - unless it is you really know him. He was standing by the side walk and having a conversation with one young man. When I saw him, I left my friends and walked across to greet him. I got close to him and attempted to shake hands but he seemed reluctant. Looking at my strange face, he just nodded at me in response. But I wasn't satisfied and wasn't about to give in. I wanted to talk to him. So I was adamant. I said to him ' mam Dela hu Mabia ooh'. And I got his attention immediately. 'What's your name'? He asked me. 'Denis Amenga - Etego, from Kandiga'. I said. He was smiling now. But he still had a question to ask. ' you are from Kandiga, but who is that SaCut guy on radio here in Accra who is also from Kandiga'? He asked me. Now I am shocked. I thought he was the most famous but the great had of me. ' I am the one' I answered. ' you don't mean it' he said excitedly whiles shaking my hands. ' I used to listen to you on radio. You made me proud especially when you mention your grandfather's name' he added. 'Oh I am humbled hearing this from you. But you are the one who made all of Ghana proud. In fact we are proud of you. May the gods and ancestors guide you always' I told him with a handshake. We exchanged phone numbers on the streets like some ordinary guy I just met. Mehn, the man was in simple sandals, his car parked somewhere, and he was walking on the street. I doff my hat for the JSC Atuguba the great! May he live long!

CHURCH & STATE IN BED – WHERE STANDS THE PEOPLE?

Has the non - denominational church in Ghana ever heard of liberation theology? Are there no ‘men of God’ in Ghana who have listened to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount? Did they not understand that to be a man of God means to be an avowed defender of the poorest people in the society? If they did, how come we have the church hierarchy offending the poorest people in Ghana and rooting with the prosperous in the class war? Well, I know about the church in Latin America and in other parts of the world where it is actively involved in liberation theology whereby the teachings of Jesus Christ have been interpreted in relation to liberation from unjust economic, political or social conditions. This is where the church and it's leaders interprets and the Christian faith through the poor’s suffering, their struggle and their hope. This form or version of Christian theology also actively and with consecrated determination, work against the oppressor’s establishment just as Christ preached and lived - that which led to his crucifixion on the cross. In those countries, at least, some men of God side and work with the poorest masses. The Peruvian priest and strongest advocate of liberation theology, Fr. Gustavo Gutierrez says, ‘’God is revealed in the historical ‘praxis’ of liberation. It is the situation - economic, social or political – and our passionate and reflective involvement in it, which mediates the word of God’. Today, the true word of God is mediated through the cries of the poor and oppressed. Liberation theology has arisen principally within the church first in Latin America, and now universally, as a moral reaction to the massive levels of poverty in our society caused by social injustice which is perpetuated by our political, religious and business leaders. The Vatican has openly criticized liberation theology- which started in the Catholic Church anyways – because the priests and laymen of the church - such as the Peruvian father Gustavo - who identify with this theology know, and have openly said that the hierarchy of the church in our society, our ‘Osofos’ and bishops, cardinals and deacons – all these people fall under the same privileged class with the oppressive politicians and business men of our society today since our so – called independence from colonizers. The advocates of liberation theology have criticized the church for its refusal to root for the poor in a class struggle. I have joined that movement for a while now. In Nicaragua, the priests of the church in the late 1970’s took liberation theology even to a revolutionary point of armed struggle by joining the Sandinistas to form a poor people’s government in 1979. In Haiti, liberation theology brought Jean - Bertrand Aristide, a catholic Priest of the salesian order to power as first democratically - elected President of that country. In Mexico, Peru and many other countries in Latin America and Eastern Europe, liberation theology – taken to the extreme - has led to the formation of various political parties based on a theocracy which has further led to popular political and armed struggle over the years although we know that Christ advocated non – violence in any social, political or liberation struggle. This is where true men of God’s church root for the poorest people in society’s ongoing class war. So: liberation theology says the church can get involved in politics as long as the church and its hierarchy will be on the side of the oppressed, the poor people. In this regard, the ‘men of God’ of our nation Ghana, have no moral reaction to the ongoing injustice, characterized by pure squalor, which has led to a general apathy among the people. Our ‘men of God’ are unable or rather are incapable or even uninterested in interpreting the Christian faith through the poor’s suffering, their struggle and hope simply because they are in a clique with the politicians and business men – or perhaps, because they are politicians and business men themselves. These days, names of pastors and their respective political party affiliations have been published for all of us to know what we long suspected. This means it is no longer a conspiracy theory – they are indeed in bed with the politicians here in Ghana – since there has not been denials of these publications. A relevant question to ask at this point in my books, is whether or not; these ‘men of God’ know that they are part and parcel of the group of people responsible for the mass poverty of our people? I thought that Jesus Christ identified with the poor during his ministry? So why are they claiming to be preaching the teachings of Christ whiles acting the complete opposite of the Christian messiah’s teachings? Did Christ ever wined and dined with the King of the Jews? Not that I have read of. However, I have read and heard of Christ’s wining and dining with the poor people in Galilee. So are we talking about a different Christ here in Ghana? Others keep saying we are a former colonized people. Granted that to be true, and we know that the colonizers oppressed the indigenous people in colonial times. Are we indigents of this nation going to pretend that we are a formerly oppressed people too? I cannot imagine that. Again in my books, we the indigenous people – not the foreigners residing in Ghana - are currently oppressed with public utility prices and services, we are oppressed with public bureaucracies and bottle necks, we are oppressed with discrimination and patronage, with the total lack of meritocracy in our commonly created opportunities as a nation, we are also oppressed by the ‘majestic egalitarianism’ of the law. We are oppressed with church collections, donations, festivals, rituals and offertories. Indeed, we are oppressed with unjustifiable and exploitative taxes and levies. public office Corruption is the greatest tool of oppression here. And what do we hear? a mute church unashamed of their complacency in this social injustice. This time, the oppressors are not white men. They are our own brothers and sisters - who by the way are even more brutal than the white colonial oppressors. For example, the white colonial administrators in the colonial governments were less corrupt with public resources than the current indigenous administrators in our governments. In similar terms, the white priests and ‘men of God’ in colonial times took less collections, no special donations and offertories from their colonial congregation. This should rationally make the colonial oppressor more preferable to the indigenous ones - if we are to choose the lesser of two evils. As if this sort of oppression is not enough, our ‘men of God’ who we expect to stand with us in this situation, according to the teachings of Jesus Christ and the theology of liberation, are on the side of the oppressor. They have completely abandoned liberation theology – that is if they have ever embraced it. The church hierarchy in Ghana is prosperous and stand with the prosperous so they are preaching prosperity. They abhor poverty, so they dissociate from the poor masses and their poor and meek aspirations. Or do these ‘men of God’ in Ghana want us to give them a biblical bases for why they must interpret the teachings of Jesus Christ in relation to liberation from unjust economic, political or social conditions as well as from sin? That has already been long established. Let them refer to Isaiah 61:1, Matthew 10:34, Luke 22:35-38 where one will discover that the mission of Jesus Christ brought a sword which stirred controversy and civil strife and not peace. For there shouldn’t, and cannot be peace in the midst of poverty and social injustice in a mass scale such as we have among our people. If our ‘men of God’ understood this, the non – denominational church and its men and women in Ghana today may stop being a hypocritical bunch pretending to be neutral, or even on the side of the people, when indeed, they form part of the oppressor’s regimes that we have past and currently enduring as a people. Rather, they will interpret the Christian faith through the poor’s suffering, their struggle and hope. Amenga – Etego Akaabitono SaCut – The writer is a political journalist, broadcaster and ghost writer rassacut@gmail.com www.facebook.com/sacut

saCut Amenga-Etego: I BROKE THE NEWS - PRESIDENT MILLS IS DEAD

saCut Amenga-Etego: I BROKE THE NEWS - PRESIDENT MILLS IS DEAD

When I Joined The Table Of Men

It was a Saturday night. We just returned home late night from a whole day's trip to Cape Coast to meet a crowd outside the main gate. I knew something was terribly wrong. What is wrong? I asked. Apparently, My landlady has been dead two days without notice. Some female neighbors only noticed late on the day. Police said it was weekend and their men are few. Tenants must take responsibility of conveying remains into the car to the mortuary. Everybody was scared to enter the dark room where the dead woman sat on a chair waiting to be conveyed. Stench was unbearable. Nobody could sleep. Her room is just steps away from my crib. Then her sister noticed me arrive and she calls out 'General help us...we are afraid' ...what...??? Afraid of your own dead sister? I just had to take off my cloths, leaving my boxers, improvised gloves and masks. Together with four other neighbors, we got a first- hand undertaker experience ...Mehn! It was not a joke! If you're not brave and bold, don't call yourself a General because when the moment of truth comes, you must have to rise to the occasion. Well, I had to call on God for help when I got inside the room! But we did it nevertheless.

Now I needed the strongest disinfectant on earth afterwards!!

saCut Amenga-Etego: INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS (IMC)

saCut Amenga-Etego: INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS (IMC)

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS (IMC)

Marketers are beginning to understand that their brands live in the connections, and that they must seize the opportunity by creating an integrated communications strategy. The objective of marketing communications is to enhance brand equity by moving customers along a customer experience path to purchase that leads to advocacy for the brand. Mass communication plays an essential role to inform and educate customers and prospects about brands, new products their benefits and to enhance brand image. The IMC goal is to deliver the right message to the right audience at the right time in the right place. It is critical for marketers to craft an effective integrated marketing communications plan that delivers clear, consistent and compelling messages. Marketers must explore new methods to leverage all elements of the communication mix and blend traditional, digital an social media into a single, cohesive, holistic approach. American Association of Advertising Agencies (also 4A's) in 1989, defining IMC as "an approach to achieving the objectives of a marketing campaign through a well-coordinated use of different promotional methods that are intended to reinforce each other."[1] The 4A's definition of IMC recognizes the strategic roles of various communication disciplines (advertising, public relations, sales promotions, etc.) to provide clarity, consistency, and increased impact when combined within a comprehensive communications plan. Basically, it is the application of consistent brand messaging across both traditional and non-traditional marketing channels. • The Journal of Integrated Marketing Communication from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University refers to IMC as "a strategic marketing process specifically designed to ensure that all messaging and communication strategies are unified across all channels and are centered around the customer."[2] IMC is used practically to allow one medium's weakness to be offset by another medium's strength, with elements synergized to support each other and create greater impact. • A more contemporary definition states, "True IMC is the development of marketing strategies and creative campaigns that weave together multiple marketing disciplines (paid advertising, public relations, promotion, owned assets, and social media) that are selected and then executed to suit the particular goals of the brand. Instead of simply utilizing various media to help tell a brand's overall story, with IMC the marketing leverages each communication channel's intrinsic strengths to achieve a greater impact together than each channel could achieve individually. It requires the marketer to understand each medium's limitation, including the audience's ability/willingness to absorb messaging from that medium. This understanding is integrated into a campaign's strategic plan from the very beginning of planning - so that the brand no longer simply speaks with consistency, but speaks with planned efficacy.[5] This concept inherently provides added benefits that include: a singular/synchronized brand voice and experience, cost efficiencies generated through creativity and production, and opportunities for added value and bonus. Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) weaves diverse aspects of business and marketing together. These include: Prevailing Organizational culture and sub-culture The organization's vision and mission Attitudes and behaviors of employees & partners Communication within the company Four P's Price, pricing plans, bundled offerings Product (product design, accessibility, usability) Promotion Place (point of purchase, in-store/shopper experience) Advertising Broadcasting/mass advertising: broadcasts, print, internet advertising, radio, television commercials Outdoor advertising: billboards, street furniture, stadiums, rest areas, subway advertising, taxis, transit.Online advertising: mobile advertising, email ads, banner ads, search engine result pages, blogs, newsletters, online classified ads, media ads etc. Direct marketing: these would include direct mail, telemarketing, catalogs, shopping channels, internet sales, emails, text messaging, websites, online display ads, fliers, catalog distribution, promotional letters, outdoor advertising, telemarketing, coupons, direct mail, direct selling, grassroots/community marketing, mobile etc. Online/internet marketing: E-commerce Search engine optimization (SEO)Search engine marketing (SEM)Mobile Marketing, Email marketing Content marketing, Social Media ( Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google +, Foursquare, Pinterest, Youtube, Wikipedia, Instagram)etc. Sales & customer service: These are Sales materials (sell sheets, brochures, presentations)Installation, customer help, returns & repairs, billing. Public Relations: Special events, interviews, conference speeches, industry awards, press conferences, testimonials, news releases, publicity stunts, community involvement, charity involvement & events. Promotions: promotional activities would include: Contests, coupons, product samples (freebies), premiums, prizes, rebates, special events. Trade shows: Activities here may include, Booths, product demonstrations etc. Corporate philanthropy: Donations, volunteering, charitable actions are all considered corporate philanthropy. It is when these varying aspects of business and marketing are weaved together with an integrated approach that an effective campaign can be achieved. REFERENCES: American Marketing association Wikipedia.org Integrated marketing communications by David Pickton (Author), Amanda Broderick (Author) FEB. 2005 American Association of Advertising Agencies The Journal of Integrated Marketing Communication from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University

I BROKE THE NEWS - PRESIDENT MILLS IS DEAD

Dear President Mills, I wrote you several open letters when you lived and reigned over Ghana. When You were alive, I met and shook hands with you only once. Now that you are gone, it’s been one year already, a lot of water has passed under the bridge. Many things have changed since your departure which gripped the entire nation for some time. President Mahama is ruling now. Of course he had your blessings. I remember that particular afternoon of your departure of July 24th 2012. At the time, I worked for XFM, a private radio station run by Mr. Herbert Mensah. The man run down the stairs into the radio station studio shouting loudly ‘Sacut, the president is dead’. I went for the computer, and hit on social media instantly whiles he took to the microphone. We broke the news of your demise via the radio station. And that experience has left an indelible mark. I still don’t understand how come I was in the right position to make your death announcement on social media first in Ghana. I don’t want to believe it was a coincidence. I have since your departure, met, spoken and listened to people who were very close to you whiles you were in office. I have learned many new things about you. One of the things I learned about you after your death is that you read the letters I wrote to you. I didn't realize that - at first. I know now because some of the people who were very close to you told me. They told me you wept on one occasion upon reading one of my letters due to half-truths, pure lies and biting lyrics laced in it. When I heard that for the first time, I was deeply saddened and full of remorse though I did not weep. To be truthful I did not come to your funeral partly because of guilt for some of the things I said about you whiles you were alive. But also because I don’t like joining the crowd so I have been following from a distance. It has given me a chance to reflect on many of those things. And I realize that indeed, I was unfair to you in many of my writings and utterances. On many occasions, I wrote things about you, and to you without really knowing for a fact if what I am saying is true or not. Other times, I based what I said to you in those letters and articles on hear say. I was consumed by an evil genius who just wanted to discredit you by all means. There were times I wrote about you purely out of malice. Upon reflection, it is obvious to me I had no basis in making many allegations against you or making aspersions on you. Now that you are gone, I know better, I cannot undo the damage of my misadventure. What I can do is to openly admit – and show remorse – as I am doing now, not to say that I have suddenly abandoned by views on you but to show that I am human and my actions can be manipulated by irresistible forces but who is not afraid or ashamed to admit his weakness. Even though I feel sorry about some of the things I said to you and about you when you were alive, and the biting lyrics with which I said it, I still want you to understand that I really never admired you. I don’t think you succeeded in your political endeavors. Many people will be offended by this plane opinion - understandably because they think opposite. And many of these people who admired, loved and praised you hate me so much today as you are gone simply because of our diverse conclusions about you. As for me, I don’t hate them. I see them as my brothers and sisters who disagree with me as you always preached whiles alive. Unfortunately, some of your disciples are not practicing what you preached. They hate me bitterly because they saw you weep over some of my malicious letters. Indeed, they read them for themselves. And even though they all say that you were a forgiving person, some of them fail to learn from your virtues for which reason they can’t forgive some of us. But if what they say about you being a truly peaceful person is true, I know you will forgive me – even from the ancestral world. If you were here today, I would have physically come to kneel down and hold your legs. The good thing is that there are a few good men among those people who worked with you, and who you left behind. There is hope we can make amends. God be with you till we meet again Amenga – Etego 'Commandante' SaCut – The writer is a Multi – media journalist, political activist, broadcaster and ghost writer

POWER EXTINCTION IN THE NDC

First, they said the Rawlings' were ''finished'' because the Ahwois were in - charge with #1. Now they say the Ahwois are ''finished'' because the Mahamas are in - charge with #1. So we can tell who is next to 'finish' in the line of ''power extinction'' in the NDC. Just we can't tell who is next to be in - charge I guess a lot of that will depend on the outcome of upcoming national delegates congress in November where we should expect ''Mahama camp'' ''Ahwois camp'' ''Mosquito camp'' ''Rawlings camp'' ''Wayo wayo camp'' etc etc. I just can't wait for campaign to start because i feel a mad rush of political blood in my veins....;;)) My camp is national youth organizer and propaganda secretary positions in the national executive committee of the NDC which my friends and allies are in cahoots with me to annex. In case your eyes are on the same price, and you're not in our clique, you are here by declared our ''political enemy'' - and we will not treat you with kids gloves - between now and congress. Do you understand?? Last time they stole the verdict and short - changed the NDC youth. This time is retribution time.. http://www.modernghana.com/news/258813/1/ndc-youth-finger-mills.html

Ken Kuranchie's foolish bravado - 10 days in solitude for a medal!

There are two friends of mine. One is wise. The other is foolish. The one is called sammi Awuku, an' the other is K.A Kuranchie. I have hosted Ken on my radio show severally and have worked on several news paper publications with him. He is my friend. As for Sammi Awuku, yes, i have hosted him on radio as well - but beyond that I have been drinking Black Label with him. He is also my friend. Ken is older than Sammi. Ken likes to talk with verbosity. He enjoys making allegations - totally unsubstantiated. And he loves to twist stories maliciously. He is die in the wool NPP journalist. I don't know if his newspaper has been rented by the NPP. Sammi likes -to be so sure of himself. He Believes a lot in conspiracy theories and known for his ability to outwit his group members - be it AFAG or LMVC groups - he always has the last laugh with his peers. These two friends of mine are brave guys. They say a lot of things without thinking about the consequences. But beyond bravery, a soldier needs discretion, some wisdom, some instinct to stay alive or even uncaptured on a battle field. Ask the soldiers, they will attest to it. I am a commandante so I know. This is where there is a clear difference between those two guys. Sammy applied his sixth sense on the battle field. He dared the SC judges, called them *hypocritical and selective* refused to apologize on radio -even rejected an apology on his behalf by Kwesi Pratt - at first. Later in the witness box, though brave, but wiser, sammi upon realizing the mightiness of the SC, humbly ate back his words or perhaps, he was made to vomit them out and was punished leniently without criminal conviction. His political future is intact and unbruised. Mr. kuranchie on the other hand, having been possessed by uninformed bravado, and utter folly, chose to make sammi Awuku's vomit his own dinner. He repeated, emphasized and re - echoed sentiments that sammi Awuku had already denounced by him self before the SC judges a day earlier. What sort of prudence dictates such an action from Ken? Only Mr. kuranchie - and perhaps his pro bono lawyer 'azar' Ata-kyea - can tell us. So like the brave but foolish soldier on the battle field, Mr. kuranchie has been captured, and caged for 10 reflective days in solitary confinement. For what? Foolish bravado!! SaCut ''Commandante'' Amenga - Etego - the writer is a multi - media journalist, broadcaster, ghost writer and political activist in Ghana

RE: ATTORNEY GENERAL FAILED TO PURSUE WATERVILLE CASE DUE TO MISSING DOCUMENTS: GOVERNMENT AND ATTORNEY GENERAL STOP THE LIES – BY MARTIN A. B. K. AMIDU

I have read the online reportage in citifmonline, of 23rd June 2013, a vilifying statement made about me by one Victor Kojoga Adawudu who is described as a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Legal Team. Mr. Adawudu accuses me in some portions expressly and in other portions impliedly of having taken away some documents from the Attorney General’s Department resulting in the latter’s inability to pursue claims against Waterville and Woyome. I write to refute the allegations as baseless, false, malicious and libelous publications intended by the office of the Attorney General to vilify me for fulfilling my constitutional obligation of defending the 1992 Constitution pursuant to Articles 2 and 3 thereof. I returned from New York on 22nd December 2011 having made up my mind never to take possession of the Waterville/Woyome file or allow it to be left in my office. This was because I was lucky to have travelled to the 10th Session of the International Criminal Court at the United Nations Head office in New York with Mr. Cecil Adadevoh, a Senior State Attorney. When the Woyome judgment debt scandal broke out in New York, the Acting Director of Public Prosecutions who had also travelled with me to New York came to inform me that Mr. Cecil Adadevoh had told her he was the Attorney working up to Mr. Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh (Chief State Attorney) on the case. I debriefed Mr. Adadevoh in the presence of the Acting Director of Public Prosecution and he disclosed amongst other things that the office did not have the original docket on the Waterville/Woyome cases. It transpired that the Attorney General’s Department had all along been using an incomplete file allegedly built by Mr. Nerquaye-Tetteh without a copy of any of the two signed contracts dated 26th April 2006 on file. Consequently, on 23rd December 2011 when the file was brought to my office by the Chief State Attorney, Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh, in the company of the Solicitor-General (Mrs. Amma Gaisie) for my first briefing on the Alfred Agbesi Woyome judgment debt scandal which had infected the Ghanaian political environment, I never took custody of the file or permitted it to be left in my office. I am out of that office but I hope Mr. Adadevoh would be honourable enough to confirm that anytime he wanted me to have the file I asked him to make available to me only photocopies of the relevant pages we had discussed. There was, therefore, no way by which I could have taken copies of the documents from Waterville/Woyome files to deprive that Office of pursuing the cases when I left office. Incidentally, the exhibits annexed to the Attorney General’s Statement of 1st Defendant’s Case prepared, signed, and filed in the Supreme Court by Chief State Attorney, Mrs. Dorothy Afriyie-Ansah, which contains documents which were not in the incomplete file exposes the lies being supplied by the Attorney General’s office to the NDC Legal Team with the active approval of the Government to vilify me as a documents’ thief. For example, the two signed contracts with Waterville dated 26th April 2006 were not on the file at the time the settlements were made but upon my advice the Attorney General’s Department got copies which were duly filed. The story Mr. Nerquaye-Tetteh told the Deputy Attorney General, Barton Odro, the Solicitor General, Amma Abuakwa Gaisie, the Chief Director, Ahmed Suleiman and my poor self at the meeting of 23rd December 2011 was that the original file got missing since 2006 when he delivered the file to the then, Attorney General, Hon. Joe Ghartey, who never returned same when he was leaving office in 2009. I asked Mr. Nerquaye-Tetteh whether he delivered the file to Hon Joe Ghartey through the approved process by ensuring it was signed and received at the Attorney General’s office. He said: “No!”. I asked him what evidence he had that he delivered the file to Hon. Joe Ghartey to enable me write to Hon. Joe Ghartey to return the file or indicate the officer with whom he left it in the Ministry. Mr. Nerquaye-Tetteh replied that he had none. He indicated that the file in his current possession was built by him from scratch that was why the documents were incomplete. I asked the Solicitor-General to ensure that her office contacted the Ministries and Departments involved in the case to have copies of at least the signed contracts on file before an investigation came to discover that the Attorney General’s office at that time settled the cases without seeing signed copies of the contracts. I instructed the Solicitor-General, Mrs. Amma Abuakwa Gaisie, as the head of the Civil Division of the Attorney General’s office on 23rd December 2011 to supervise the building of a complete file on the Waterville/Woyome case and assumed it had been done. I left office in the evening of 19th January 2012 without being allowed to hand over or say good bye to the staff. Does the fact that the Attorney General was permitted by the technical staff to settle the alleged Waterville/Woyome judgment debts without reading the complete file not reflect disgracefully on the Solicitor General who is presumed to be the most technically knowledgeable legal officer in the Department and also as head of the Civil Division? On 13th January 2012 Captain Kojo Tsikata (Rtd), former PNDC Member, who I considered a mentor persuaded me forcefully in the Chief of Staff’s conference room not to resign but to pursue the objects of the June 4 and the 31st December Revolution by ensuring that I went to Court to retrieve the Woyome monies for Ghana. I had in writing demanded a draft amended Writ, and Statement of Claim to the Woyome case from the Solicitor General for my further action before filing at the High Court on 16th January 2012 which she never produced as at the close of work of Friday 13th January 2012. I respected Captain Tsikata as a mentor and elder, and acceded to his pleas. I then called the Acting Chief Director to summon the Solicitor General, Mrs. Nana Dontoh, and Mrs. Afriyei-Ansah, (both Chief State Attorneys) to wait and meet me in my office to start the processes of drafting and filing the amendment on Monday. I explained to the meeting what was to be done to retrieve the monies not only from Woyome but also how we were to join Waterville and Austro Invest to the suit after the High Court had granted us the amendment of both the writ and statement of claim. I directed the Chief Director to make available all logistics to enable the officers assembled to work on the Saturday and Sunday. I explained to the team when we met on Sunday evening why each of the reliefs was couched in the manner it was written and what informed each paragraph of the Statement of Claim. I repeated several times that we had to join Waterville and Austro Invest to enable us move the High Court to refer the constitutional issues to the Supreme Court as our ultimate aim. Why did the Solicitor General not ensure the joinder of Waterville and Austro Invest to the suit when the amendments were granted? I had settled the pleadings in such a way that no further amendment was needed after the joinder. There was no way the office could prove its case without joining at least Waterville to the action. The judgment and orders of the Supreme Court delivered on 14th June 2013 now makes the case against Woyome easy as he would be unable to rely on anything related to the Waterville contracts of 2006. Mr. Adawudu should have known that not being a member of the Attorney General’s Department, even a fool will know that his falsehood that I took office documents away when my appointment was revoked was fed to him by the Government through the Attorney General’s office. The Solicitor General and her office who passed on the falsehood to the current Attorney General should be ashamed of themselves for maligning me just because I undertook a defence of the 1992 Constitution when the office failed to advice the then Attorney General that international business or economic transactions such as the Waterville and Isofoton contracts could not be settled when they had not been approved by Parliament. In any case was it not the same Solicitor General who supported Nerquaye-Tetteh’s memorandum in her memo of 3rd November 2011 to me requesting me to authorize the withdrawal of the Woyome action pending at the High Court and to make further payment to Woyome which I refused to endorse? At that time I had not yet been informed as the Attorney General that Nerquaye-Tetteh was suspected of having been paid an amount GH¢400,000.00 by Woyome, half of which he used to deposit for a house at Ridge and the other half used in buying treasury bills. It was later alleged that the cheque was issued in the name of his wife. Under the watch of the Solicitor General, her officers were operating on incomplete files in settling unconstitutional contracts, so why am I being accused unjustifiably by the Government which is still comfortable working with the Mr. Nerquaye-Tettehs and their likes. Background checks I quickly made on Mr. Victor Kojoga Adawudu indicates that he was a junior in Awoonor Law Consultancy (ALC) who arbitrated the alleged Waterville claims and awarded Waterville the 25 million Euro which the Supreme Court ordered to be refunded on 14th June 2013. He moved out of Awoonor Law Consultancy just a few months ago to set up chambers with friends at Adabraka. This is the member of the NDC Legal Team who is being used by a former partner in Lithur Brew & Company (Lawyers for Austro Invest) who is now Attorney General to vilify me for allegedly taking office documents away when I left office. The use of a political party’s legal team to vilify a senior member of that political party without any sanction from the political party sends a wrong signal when the Constitution of that party mandates a defence of probity, and accountability. The founder of the NDC has shown NDC and the Government what the NDC stands for but alas those now in control cannot hear nor see the way to probity and accountability? Finally I have to say that the Government and those subgroups in the NDC who are against the results of the two Supreme Court judgments have persistently endangered my life and personal security since I commenced my action in the Supreme Court in June 2012. By continuing to vilify me even after the Supreme Court has spoken the Government and its aggrieved party friends are literally informing the foreign companies and other aggrieved Ghanaians that they are at liberty to endanger my life and personal security. Whatever happens, I, Martin Alamisi Amidu will not regret dying for defending the Constitution and people of Ghana – Ghana a naturally rich country in which the vast majority of the youth, even with university degrees, are unemployed and poverty is avoidably daily extinguishing the lives of my fellow citizens. Fear is the enemy of Change! Martin A. B. K Amidu Post Script I phoned Mr. Charles Takyi-Boadu of Daily Guide at 3:20 pm today, 27th June 2013, to thank him for reading my current thoughts by re-publishing a previous story under the title: “My Life in Danger Martin Amidu cried Out” yesterday. I told him my statement of rejoinder to the accusation of my theft of documents from the Attorney General’s office will be posted today to appear on my webpage tomorrow morning. I asked him to send me his email address so I could send him a copy, which he did. At 3.58 pm the National Security Coordinator phoned to say he had just returned from abroad and read the concerns about my security and wanted us to talk. I asked him to read an email I had sent to him on Friday 21st June 2013 first and let us continue talking. I add this post script to this statement for purposes of accountability and transparency to the public as I completed this statement of rejoinder on 24th June 2013 but had to let it abide my statement of rejoinder in answer to the Ministry of Information and Government’s allegation of my failure to name the names of those who committed the gargantuan judgment debt crimes against the people of Ghana. That statement of rejoinder was published on 26th June 2013. Long live the concept of “Ghana First”.

MY TRIBUTE TO MARTIN AMIDU: HOW TO WIN SOME AND LOSE SOME, BUT WIN, ULTIMATELY

The NDC government’s dismissal of Martin Amidu was Ghana’s gain. When the government thought that it had gotten rid of the irritating pain in its backside by firing Martin as Attorney-General, it only gave to Ghana, a reluctant hero and champion. I do not agree with all of Martin’s positions, which is natural. But I must applaud his dogged, fighting spirit. In the face of the blatant stealing of this nations’ monies by a cabal with obvious official participation and complicity, the shameful and reprehensible cheering and defence of the stealing (notably by persons working in the office of the then President, at least one of whom has now been rewarded with a Ministerial appointment), the appalling and inexcusable ‘interim’ non-investigation by EOCO, and the shocking and scandalous lack of interest in prosecuting the civil recovery and the crime (until recently, and I must commend the current AG for this), many of us could only speak and write. NOTE: To date, the government had taken absolutely no step to recover the monies paid to Waterville!! But Martin would not take all of that rubbish lying down. He took it a step further. He went to court against Waterville, Woyome and the Attorney-General, at his own expense. Today, I sat in court when the judgment was delivered. I left in awe of the man. Some of his claims were upheld and others were dismissed. Yet the court, without any equivocation or prevarication, was unanimous and undivided in its high praise and commendation of Martin and his vigilante role. I now turn to my summary of what I heard the court say. The Unanimous Decision (9-0), by Dr. Date-Bah JSC Waterville: the contracts entered into between the Government and Waterville, were unconstitutional since parliamentary approval was not obtained, in breach of article 181(5) of the Constitution for the international business transaction to which the Republic was a party. All payments made to Waterville (both after the consultants’ appraisal and after the alleged mediation) were therefore unconstitutional. They did not fall properly under the sparing circumstances under which a person whose contract is declared void for being in breach of the Constitution would be entitled to restitution. Waterville was ordered to refund all monies paid to if by the government, including the Euro 25 million paid to it by the government after mediation. Woyome: the court dismissed the claims/reliefs sought against him on the ground that they did not raise any constitutional interpretation/enforcement issues under article 181(5), which would have properly trigger its exclusive and special jurisdiction. The key question affecting Woyome, is whether or not there was a contract between the Government and Woyome at all. Indeed, in Woyome’s own Statement of Claim in his action at the High Court, he does not show any contractual basis for his claim. Thus a determination as to whether or not there was a contract or a cause of action at all, is one that should be determined by the High Court, as it did not involve any constitutional issue for interpretation or enforcement. Attorney-General: The court took note of the claims against the state’s legal representatives for their actions in the matter and stated that those claims, also, did not involve any constitutional issue for interpretation or enforcement, and as such dismissed them and advised the Plaintiff to pursue those claims before a High Court. Conduct of named lawyers (particularly for Waterville and Woyome): The court referred Martin’s claims against the lawyers in the matter to the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council and stated that the Plaintiff may continue his complaint in that forum. It ordered the SC Registry to serve a copy of its judgment on the GLC for further action. Obiter, by Jones Dotse JSC: This was the more dramatic and striking opinion. He concurred with the unanimous decision, but decided to read what he termed a “commentary.” His Lordship pulled no punches, barred no holds and took no prisoners when he excoriated the lawyers who acted in the matter, particularly for Waterville and Woyome. He stated that there was sufficient evidence (particularly the now famous Tetteh & Co. letter) that there was no contract to be enforced, but that Waterville and Woyome had an “alliance to create, loot and share” Ghana’s resources. He noted how Waterville and Woyome (using different lawyers) were first opposed to each other, then started acting together using the same lawyer (Waterville’s lawyer) to recover the monies they received, and then before the Supreme Court, that same lawyer now only appeared as Waterville’s lawyer. He stated that there was no sound legal basis for their claims, and that the lawyers should have known this and advised their clients, instead of leading them in the matter. Both Dr. Date-Bah and Dotse JJSC highly recommended Martin Amidu for his work. Dotse JSC pointed out that Martin has had to fight alone without any help, especially from civil society. My Conclusion: Martin has won; not for himself, but for Ghana. In the process, he has put us all to shame. source: Ace Ankomah

Why I Admire The Supreme Court Of Ghana

Many of us – if we’ll care to admit – had very little appreciation of how the Supreme Court of Ghana goes about the process of dispensing justice prior to this ongoing election petition. So: we can say there is an invaluable advantage to be gained by all of us with a LIVE telecast. No matter how much it is costing us to LIVE TV telecast the election 2012 petition trial, it is still worth our while – in my books. I have followed the LIVE TV telecast with keen interest. I have had an appreciation for a lot of things – legally and logically. I admire all the lawyers representing the various parties for various reasons. I admire Tony Lithur for his impeccable English expressions. His questions and probing keep viewers in animated suspense. He is charismatic and capable of intimidating a weak - minded witness into admitting things to their own detriment. He has clarity and he has swag in his presentation and appearance. He is most handsome, and no wonder most of his admirers are the women citizens of Ghana. This guy is boisterous in his presentation. Tsatsu Tsikata is very admired not just by me, but by multitudes following this legendary court case. He is like the god – father of the law. His deep appreciation and his tendency to try to interpret the law to the judges cannot go unnoticed. He gets the witness to admit things before realizing that they have spoken to their own detriment. His arguments are flawless. You will think that any lawyer is good until you hear Tsatsu Tsikata. He is a master of logic. He makes exhaustive arguments with unique legal and English expressions. His trade mark grey hair distinguishes him – even from the judges – none of whom has that animated appearance. I admire him very much for his ability to litigate unabated until the judges’ rule in his favor. I admire Philip Addison too albeit, I oppose his petition. He seems to have good coaches surrounding him and whispering some ideas to him. He is very adroit at putting words into the mouth of witnesses. An unintelligent and unalert witness is most likely to crumble under Philip Addisson. Indeed, this guy can make a case out of no case. He also has a sense of fashion similar to Tony Lithur but his pot belly makes him less sexy. He tries to be bellicose with his language. He is good lawyer with a bad case in his hands. I admire Philip Addisson nevertheless. Quarshie Idun is the smoothest lawyer in the group. Old and gentle, he does not use flamboyant language or ‘bellicose rhetoric’ as the North Americans will say. He is also very adroit in detecting the right moment to intervene. His demeanor is pleasing not only to the nine judges and other lawyers at the bar but also to the general public. It looks like in his young days, he was a handsome man. His baritone voice is very pleasant to the ears. I admire him for his prudence in language and demeanor. I also admire Justice Atuguba very much. His manner of speaking seems to differentiate him as the president of the presiding judges. With a hand gesticulation, an undulating voice pitch, a low tone, and a succinct use of rare vocabulary, Justice Atuguba’s rulings are uncontestable. Indeed, he sounds like that invisible and invincible voice of the people. I admire him also because he appears as a very democratic president of the SC judges. I admire Amekudzi the Amicus Curae. His dramatic presentation in court twice was a great comic relief. His attempt to sound more American than the American President was something to laugh about. But more importantly, he is a detective of the right moment. He took advantage to be a part of the history in the making. He is a smart guy who failed woefully to make smart arguments in court but gained all the publicity for free. I admire the witnesses’ too but that is partisan admiration so I will leave that out. I admire justice, and hopefully, we should soon have it. But there are those who believe that injustice is more profitable than justice. What would we rather have? I know I will admire the final SC verdict on election 2012. SaCut ‘’Commandante’’ Amenga –Etego – The writer is a multi – media Journalist, ghost writer and political activist in Ghana

Walk Away From Foolishness

Several years ago I met a European girl right here in Ghana. This was whiles I was still a student in Cape Coast. She was tall and attractive. Honestly, I no longer recall her name. She told me that she was very adventurous. I told her I was a maverick. We paired for an adventure. First fact is that I was not the first 'local guy' she had met and taken as her boy friend. Even though she was a foreign volunteer teacher in a local nursery school, you could describe her as one of those sex tourists. She first met a 'London burger' who returned to Ghana on holiday. This guy seemingly 'spoilt' her with all the good things in town at all the good joints and hangouts. He paid all the bills - and he did with alacrity. Their affair lasted a couple of months until the 'London Burger's' wife - who by the way was back in England and the main source of the burger's money and power - got informed about the affair. She threatened to leave the burger. It became scandalous. The 'London Burger' had to advice himself quickly. He fled. This is where I got into the picture. I inherited a 'brand new second hand' European girl from the burger. But that is not all that I inherited. I also inherited the burger's burdens. My European girl friend had acquired not only new tastes but also new spending habits. She had obtained a relief from the 'cost sharing' culture of Europe among men and their women through the 'London Burger'. And it was easy for her to mistake me for the burger. As a student at the time who didn't have a golden spoon in my mouth, I was almost always broke. My wallet was constantly lean. Sometimes I went without a wallet for lack of money to keep in it. Yet, I wanted adventure - money or no money. We started it quiet nicely. It was no love affair although we shared the benefits of lovers. It was adventure designed from the onset. We went to many places. I was the natural tour guide. To my dismay, I was also the sole financier of our adventure. Can you imagine a man without a wallet sponsoring an adventure with a European girl with a combination of European and African tastes? you have to be creative. And well I did it - but not for long. I was constantly now more broke than ever. I lost priorities. I spent school bills money with her. Unconsciously, I was trying to measure up the the burger's standard - naively deceiving and ridiculing my self in the process. When I was completely without money, I had to go into 'by force' solitude. She always wanted to go out and enjoy like she used to have with the burger. One day I had a rude awakening from my adventure. We went out. We chilled very well. We indeed had a lot of fun that night. I mean outdoor fun. We went deep into the night. Finally, we went to her trotro station where she will pick a ride home. One good thing about that girl - she always took trotro which cost less. She got a ride and left for her house. I stood there all alone drunk and weak. I still had a working mind though. After more than five minutes of searching my pockets, I was faced with a reality - I had no more money to transport myself back to school. Indeed, I had no money anywhere. I was completely and shamefully bankrupt. I could not walk because it wasn't a walking distance. I had to devise a plan B. I went on the road but could not find a trotro. I could not take a taxi from the road side either since I could not afford it. I got an idea. I went to the taxi station where there are many taxis in a queue for passengers. There was one taxi with a sign 'ready going'. There was no passenger in it so I made myself the first. I sat in the front seat whiles the driver kept on with his noisy advertising for three more passengers. He kept saying 'last person....last person' though he needed three more passengers. Whiles he was at it, I put my plan to work. The driver didn't hide his coins displayed in a tray close to the gear lever. I found enough coins. I picked out exactly the amount that the taxi driver will demand from me as cost of transport. I then closed my palms tightly and waited. In a jiffy, three more people joined me in the taxi. The driver got in quickly and ready to move. But before he will get to his ignition, I was already handing my coins over to him. He smiled gladly at the alacrity with which I was willing to pay even before take off. What he didn't know was that I was paying him with his own money. I was getting a free ride on his blind side. I smiled back at his naivety as he received 'my coins'. Did I face moral dilemma? absolutely not. I had no time for that at that moment. I was faced with the question of prudence not morality. I woke up the following morning full of emptiness and the truth staring at me. I concluded that this whole adventure was utter folly. The adventure was too costly for me. I couldn't afford it anymore - unless I was prepared to become a petty thieve. I was not confused - not even for a second. I had to walk away from it - walk away from foolishness. If you don't have money, you don't have it. Don't pretend you do - not with a woman.'' culled from the book - PANAFEST IN THE DUNGEONS - An experience of a natural mystic: A narrative by SaCut Amenga- Etego (coming soon to your book shelves)

Telling our side of the story - My second political attempt

The first time I run for political office, I lost the ballot completely albeit, I enjoyed a good measure of fame. It was student politics in 2005 when I run for sports and Entertainment secretary. That campaign was run haphazardly. With some creativity, I raised some little funds which barely covered the cost of feeding my three - man campaign team. Nevertheless, we did it. I particularly enjoyed the manifesto reading in front of large crowds of students. The grand entry into the arena. And the accompanying appellations from my ashanti friend and class mate Tiwaa Opoku Ware. She added some poise to the entry with her surprise act which differentiated me from the rest of the candidates. I wore a black jacket and tie - first time in school. I became a spectacle for the many student fans who showed me love - but not with their votes. They called me SaCut 'TheGeneral'... I also remember the deep and affectionate hug I received from miss Sefakor Vowotor - my super star campus 'girl friend' that never was. She was impressed beyond the point that she could not hide her feelings from her friends when I met them in the crowds after the speech. She hugged me so closely. But that is all I got. All that deluded me into thinking I was going to win. I lost. And when I lost, I got a hair shave, an extreme make - over, to disguise myself. I was completely stupefied. When my dean of students met me the morning after the declaration of results, he was surprised to see me smiling - and he said it, that I was such a 'cheerful looser'. Yes, I am unlike some other politicians we know in Ghana. He was happy to have such a good sports man as a student of his. Well that was over seven (7) years ago and it marked the beginning of my political adventurism. Since then I have supported other people's candidature for political office including some of my best friends. I even supported and actively campaigned for the first female candidate in the presidential primaries of my political party. I was my candidate's official polling agent at congress. I have decided to run for political office - again. This time, it is national politics. This time, I have experience. The ruling NDC is going to congress in November to elect new national executive officers who will form a committee to run the political party for the next four (4) years. I have seen a weak link in the current national executive structure of the party. It is the propaganda secretariat. The current secretary in charge of Propaganda is Richard Quashiga who is currently preoccupied with parliamentary duties. But even before then, he has been a pale shadow of his predecessor Fiifi Kwetey who is my all time best propaganda secretary of the NDC in the time of opposition. Richard Quashiga has simply been a failure in his attempt 'to tell our side of the story' to the people. He has been constantly reactive to issues that emanate from the opposition. He eventually lost control to the government communications team which has since taken over and are 'attempting' to 'tell our side of the story' to the people. I believe that this very crucial branch of the party structure must be rescued and the much needed propaganda WAR properly and strategically waged. It is a very crucial psychological warfare because it is the means by which political parties win or loose the hearts and minds of the people to their side. I can't imagine anybody in my league within the NDC doing it better as a secretary of propaganda than myself. This is the bases of my ambition. So: I am going to offer myself to be elected by the NDC delegates when nominations are opened officially. There are two positions here. The secretary and his deputy. As a strategic move, I am running for deputy propaganda secretary. In four years from now, God willing, I would've been totally prepared to take on the full Job. I have revealed my ambition to a few friends and close allies. I have also mentioned it on radio a couple of times. Recently, some daily news papers put out a story about prospective candidates in which included my name. All these little pieces of publicity put together seem to have communicated sufficiently the intention of my candidacy - and I think my rivals are unsettled. I was sitting in the studio the other day readying for that weekly radio interview that I have agreed to grant to Bobiyie Ansah on agoo 103.5 fm. Whiles I was setting up my tools, an old friend of mine Peter Boamah Otokunor walked into the studio. Apparently he was just driving by the station and decided to come up and greet - according to him. After greeting he said to me ' I hear you are planning to contest me'. Whiles he talked, he was smiling with it. He appeared to have a 'sense of entitlement' to a certain position I want to contest. 'What is your name', I asked him with a stern look, also smiling. He was amazed by my question, knowing that I know his name too well. 'You mean you don't know my name'? He asked me. I think he was now confused - for a moment. 'Are you called propaganda secretary? or deputy propaganda secretary?', I asked him. He laughed. He told me he run for the post of deputy propaganda secretary the last time and lost to the incumbent, and now, naturally, he wants to go back for it. But now he is hearing about my candidature and welcomes it because, according to him, 'it will make the race exciting'. Of course I bring excitement. But not only that, I bring competence, practical experience and acumen. I laughed off his bluff and suggested to him to perish his ambitions immediately to avoid being mashed up by me in the elections. He laughed it off - of course! He walked out of the studio not long after that with food for thought. So: it will seem to me that my intentions have been sufficiently communicated and the battle lines are being drawn for the start of the PROPAGANDA WAR! I will soon put together my campaign team so I welcome all volunteers on board to help present 'our own side of the argument'. SaCut 'commandante' Amenga - Etego - Ghost Writer, broadcaster, multi - media journalist and politician

The Ultimate Price - a Koforidua Flower

It was something we looked up to. We were young and daring. Adventure was always on my mind. The first going was on an excursion with many other students to the Akosombo Dam. It was my first time in that part of Ghana. I was by then undergoing practical training in school radio whiles attempting to study to become an accounting technician. At last I mastered radio. Accounting technician, I did not become. This was in Kumasi, Ghana's second largest city. Being on school radio makes one popular among students, and the surrounding communities. My radio show was usually between 5PM - 7PM on Saturdays. It was a once a week show. I called it ''General@ the controls''! And I played dance hall reggae and spoke 'corrupted English'. The students loved it. It was during this period that I met my long time friend and brother Cassius 'King' Owusu It was he who taught me that all I needed to speak 'patois' was corrupting my English language. This was after EDEM, final year student programmes manager, under whose tutelage I was undergoing my radio training, handed to me his slot to sit-in in his absence. It was a music/talk show. And I enjoyed the experience of excitement at the time. Bobby was my class mate and friend. We both wanted to become 'accounting technicians'. We were also eating mates, though I hated his eating habit. He would usually start with the meat. Not only that, he took a different bite of every piece of meat in the soup. The first day we had a meal together, I confronted him right in the middle of the eating. I told him to take it easy. He did not. After a couple of weeks of adopting to Bobby, he became my friend. I chose him as my friend because he was a neat guy. He didn't argue much intellectually or politically or philosophically. He was not judgmental and shared a couple habits. His interest was entertainment and girls. He was a simple guy. Although he wasn't a rich student, he appeared as one, with his neat and fashionable dressing. Women were always attracted to him, sadly, he didn't know how to coax them. He either misunderstood them, or misinterpreted them. He was a Fante boy but who was born and lived with his parents in Tema. I had one problem with him; when ever you asked him where he comes from, he will say he comes from Tema. Unlike me who will say I come from Kandiga, 18 km east of Navrongo. I suggested to him to to be himself. but he was adamant. Anyways, we rolled together. We got a guided tour of the DAM that provides over 50% of our energy requirements as a nation. We asked questions. And we said good bye and headed to the Akosombo Hotel were the action was to take place. There was a large swimming pool. Some other accounting and banking students from Koforidua were coming to mix and socialize with us. We got excited when we heard this. We hoped for more 'Koforidua flowers' in the crowd. I was particularly looking for a rose flower. In the end, I got an Anita flower. I don't know if it was because of my swimming skills in the pool. Or was it because I was walking with the handsome Bobby. Perhaps, it was my dancing skills though the last time I checked, only one person has ever said I can dance well. Anita chose me. May be because she noticed I was famous among the crowd. She was one of the Koforidua girls. She came into our bus with many other students from Koforidua. They wanted a short ride back to their campus, from where we will proceed to Kumasi. Even though there was no space by me, Anita still came and tried to push me from my seat. I looked at her fair face and slender figure. I obliged. Next thing she was asking everything about me. I gave her a few correct answers. And I 'packaged' for her the rest of the information she wanted to know. She was smiling. She had just met a half - Ghanaian, half - Jamaican. An exotic guy with a 'patois' accent. School radio star. All I did was to ''corrupt'' my English to assume my character. I found out from my experience that many Ghanaian girls interestingly wants a guy remotely exotic. So if you really want a pretty Ghanaian girl, put on your exotic self. By the way my parents are both proud Ghanaians. It was just my own 'acquired identity' as a life skill. And it always worked. The bus ride to her campus was short but I got her number. She had a mobile phone at that time when many of my peers didn't own one. I hadn't even dreamed of owning a mobile phone. There were telephone booths everywhere in town, on campus etc. etc. One only needed to buy a telephone card to communicate. Whiles I was saying goodbye to the Anita Flower, Bobby was hugging Tilly. He told me later that he had managed to con her and got her number. In that case, We both went to Kumasi with some Flowers from Koforidua. What are we going to do with them? It was our puzzle to answer. I kept in touch with my Anita flower from Koforidua. Actually, she hailed from Cape Coast and lived in Accra with her parents. She was only attending school in Koforidua. I constantly telephoned her from the booth. We talked and she told me how she was boasting to all her friends about her new 'Jamaican boy friend.' She was completely obsessed. After a couple of months, when we had received our student loan, and were sufficiently rich, we decided to return the flowers to Koforidua. Bobby and I planned the trip tactically. We wanted to make such a big impression on these girls so that we could claim the 'ultimate price' before we return. First of all, as exotic as we wanted to portray - or at least, I wanted to portray - we had to show that we were not poor guys - even if we were. ATM BANKING was the BUZZWORD at the time. It was new in town and it was prestigious to operate an account with an ATM card. It was enough to get you a beautiful girl friend for a short while - even when the account actually has no credit balance. So having assured ourselves that the both Koforidua flowers were anxious to see us again, and hopefully bond with us, we set a date for departure on that adventure. Rather not so strategically, we decided not to carry cash with us on the journey from Kumasi to Koforidua. We wanted the girls to know about our 'ATM status'. We wanted them to be there whiles we withdrew our cash to dramatize the point. And we took this major decision without knowing - and just assuming - that there is an ATM machine in the Koforidua branch of the Barclays bank. We didn't even care to inquire from our hosts. We were so sure because we assumed that that town must be as commercial as the city of Kumasi. How naive we were. We left in the morning on a crowded bus. We looked forward with excitement to meet our flowers. I wanted to smell mine properly and appreciate it. My Anita flower was more than eager to experience her exotic new breed. Everything went pretty well until we arrived in Koforidua that late afternoon. It was the beginning of our adventure proper. To our utter amazement, the Barclays bank in this whole town of beautiful flowers did not operate an ATM machine. The banking hall had just been closed with an unyielding security man in a tattered uniform making sure we didn't get near. What a horror story. We were now standing in the town, so near to our flowers, yet, faced a dilemma. We couldn't let them know about our situation. That will spoil the plan. So plan A had failed brutally. We had to operate plan B. The nearest town that may offer a solution was a town called Suhum, we found out after some inquiries from some ignoramuses around whose advise only misled us through out. We had just a few cedis in our pockets combined. We were so surely misled into believing that Suhum will offer a solution, we decided to rent a taxi with the rest of the money to take us through a guess of 18 km of red, bumpy feeder road to that town. When we finally arrived, having paid off the taxi driver, we were told that that bank did not even operate, or exist, if you like, in that town, let alone an ATM machine. It was now 5PM and we hadn't arrived in Koforidua yet. We had no money except a few coins. We had had neither water nor food. Luckily for us, as we didn't own mobile phones at that time, we could not be reached by our hosts flowers who were prepared and anxiously waiting for us. We also could not even afford to communicate with them. Even if we could afford, we will not until the right time. Next stop was Nsawam. Here, the bank also did not operate an ATM machine even though it existed. It was now a completely disastrous day. We were now standing at Nsawam at 7 pm, having set out in the morning from kumasi to visit our flowers in Koforidua. We were yet to arrive - and we had no way of arriving soon. We now had to decide. Bobby brought a brilliant idea. He said we are close to Accra. Let's take a trotro to Tema station. I know a branch there with an ATM. He was so sure. When we got to the Tema station, it was 9 PM. It was a long ride in traffic. We got our cash finally in our hands. And we were still on our way to Koforidua. It was too late to arrive that night. The journey from Kumasi to Koforidua had taken us more than 24 hrs. We were now much closer to Bobby's 'home town' - Tema. I suggested we go visit his family and pass the night. He agreed but he needed a decoy to cover our real adventure story. After much brainstorming we came out with a tale that we had come to Tema on a school excursion bus to visit the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR). That some how, we went about touring and eventually missed our return bus. It was an acceptable story for his parents to welcome us home. It was too late when we arrived so nobody asked us about food. Early the following morning, I gave Anita a call from the phone booth at the Koforidua lorry park in Tema. I expressed my regret that I failed to turn up the previous day as promised. I told her We had to 'run a few thins'..' in Accra first but I was now on my way with my friend Bobby. She was excited. She shouted and called out my name on the phone. Some how, my name was the most exotic thing to her. We finally arrived to rousing welcome - at least for me. Anita was jumping all over me. She took me round to show off to all her friends. She kept touching my bushy hair. And she kept saying 'this is my Jamaican boy friend...this is my Jamaican boy friend...' Bobby's Tilly Flower was 'still coming' after more than three hours of arrival that Saturday morning. It was curious considering that Bobby had assured me that she was equally eager about his visit. So far, she hadn't demonstrated eagerness. My Anita hadn't only demonstrated, she was practically dramatizing her eagerness in front of all of us. We were eventually invited for lunch. It was to take place in a certain hostel where we would finally meet Bobby's Anita. We arrived. There was a crowd which included other guys. It was introduction time. Tilly introduced herself and introduced a certain guy in the crowd as her boy friend. Bobby's eyes were wide open. He was shocked. As if to equalize it, Anita introduced me '' This is SaCut, my Jamaican boy friend. He is a school radio star and he speaks 'patois'.'' I now had the easiest task of 'corrupting' my English to demonstrate my exotic nature. I was good at it, and I enjoyed doing it. We enjoyed their food as well as their drinks. Bobby had started getting real. Whiles I was acting as a non - alcoholic drinker, he on the other hand, drunk the liqueur unashamedly. As if he wanted to get drunk and lose control. He may have started regretting for the journey after his 'girl friend' introduced to us her boy friend. Later that evening, we went out for drinks and meat and ice cream. At that time, 'fried rice' was very fashionable and we had our own share of the fashion. Regrettably, we could not prove our ATM point which we set out from the onset to do - the same reason that we spent over 24hrs making that long journey. Anyways, that was no longer necessary for the plan. All my plans were on course so far. I worried less about the games between Bobby and his Tilly flower. That was their own cup of tea. Of course, I sympathized with Bobby but he was responsible for misreading and misinterpreting the signals from the girl. He had to take responsibility for his poor judgment. We planned to party through the night but Tilly suddenly wanted to go home and see her mother. She promised to return to see Bobby. She left. I told Bobby to give up. He said yes, but he still nursed hopes. We eventually returned to the Hostel where we were to stay the night. It was a time many students were at home with only a few professional students still in school. There was one empty room with two double beds. I now had the onerous task of managing a situation where my friend Bobby had no other place to sleep except in the same room with me, and an eagerly awaiting Anita flower who wanted to bond with - but in private. It was such a dilemma. There was only one option - to convince Anita that my friend Bobby will sleep and slumber and will not even notice us. It took some time to convince her, but she succumbed eventually. I had a 'special agreement' with Bobby. I told him to do well to sleep, probably start snoring as soon as he can pretend. He promised on his honor, with his hand on his heart, that he will not give Anita any reason to escape my grib. He told me that he wanted me to 'pay his debt' for him since it was almost certain that he had hit a hard rock with his Koforidua exploit. We went to bed with our rubbers - of course. Anita and I slept in the first thirty minutes when Bobby was preparing to 'pretend to sleep' but we kept awake for the rest of the night. We were playing. And she loved playing with me. We even did run together but not with our bare foot. We run with the rubbers on our feet. We also talked. Bobby had had enough of our all night play. Whiles, we played, Bobby chose to wake up and urinate. He however staggered as though he was sleep - walking. We halted until he came back and pretended to be sleeping. To put it simply, the night was blissful. I woke up smiling broadly, having risen to the occasion and claimed my title to the regret and annoyance of my friend Bobby. I got the price. He didn't. Anita's face glowed in the morning. Before we left later that afternoon, I promised Bobby - but not on my honor - that I will 'package' the narration such that I will edit out the part of the story that says that he missed the price, but not always. That part of the story hinges on his honor - he claimed. He said he was jealous of me but understood fully that it was not my fault that he missed the price. He told me that he had at least 'enjoyed watching us play during the night'. He couldn't keep his promise to remain sleeping during our play. I currently don't know the whereabouts of either Bobby my friend and old school mate nor Anita my Koforidua Flower. My meeting with Anita was the second and last time. Interestingly, we had no mutual friends. As I had no mobile phone on which to be reached, and could not constantly keep in touch from the phone booth, I put her out of my mind. That Flower is now a souvenir in my mind. - extracted from the book 'PANAFEST IN THE DUNGEONS - an experience of a natural mystic by SaCut Amenga - Etego.