Ghana's image is tarnished – Akwasi Osei-Adjei
The former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Akwasi Osei-Adjei has said Ghana’s image and position in the international community is deteriorating due to recent events.
He attributed the deterioration to bad leadership and scandals such as the government chartering a flight to take money to players in Brazil and the report about 200 Ghanaians seeking asylum in Brazil. This, he indicated were features of a failed state.
The former Minister for Foreign Affairs accused the current government of choosing incompetent people to head various government positions with little or no supervision of their work.
Mr Osei-Adjei also raised concerns about the role played by the Governor of Bank of Ghana, zeroing in on the issue of the sending of money to Brazil by the government.
“Does he know anything about banking at all? Because if he does, he will know that there are more effective and efficient ways of sending money rather than loading money in a plane to Brazil,” he said.
“One may be granted asylum by a different nation when the person faces threat of danger on his life,” he asserted.
He indicated that no Ghanaian life is in danger, therefore he believes that the economic hardship which has befallen the country has prompted these Ghanaians to seek for asylum in Brazil.
The former MP who spoke in an interview on Angel FM claims Ghana is no longer pleasant to live in. The 200 Ghanaians therefore saw their appearance in Brazil as an opportunity to escape the economic hardship back home.
Characteristics of a failing state include:
- a central government so weak or ineffective that it has little practical control over much of its territory
- non-provision of public services
- widespread corruption and criminality
- refugees and involuntary movement of populations, and
- sharp economic decline
The former Minister expressed his disappointment on how national football had previously been used on the international stage as a symbol of unity and pride, but had turned to a symbol of division and disgrace. He concluded his interview by stating that “Ghana is retrogressing”.
By Evans Osei-Bonsu
