Former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo
Since President Akufo-Addo’s ascension to the Presidency in 2017, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko held no official government position but he’s assumed the de facto Prime Minister of Ghana.
Often in his tweets, Mr. Gabby would speak on almost every economic and corruption-related issue ranging from the worse performing economic indicators examples including exchange rate, ballooning debt, Sinohydro Deal, etc. to the botched Agyapa Deal, in defense of the President, his relative and the NPP Party with information from deep throat sources.
The NDC has consistently exposed Gabby’s previous tweets under President Mahama’s regime, which are inconsistent with his current utterances on national borrowing and debt management under the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia-led government.
The last straw that seemed to have broken the camel’s back was when Gabby openly attacked the former Chief Justice, Justice Sophia Akuffo (retired) for showing solidarity with the vulnerable and aged pensioners who were picketing at the Finance Ministry for Issuer’s exemption in the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).
Gabby’s unprovoked attack on the retired Supreme Court Judge regarding the poorly implemented DDEP by the NPP was roundly criticized by well meaning Ghanaians including Justice Sophia Akuffo herself, who took Gabby to the cleaners with descriptions not worthy of mention in my piece.
The bravery of her Ladyship Justice Sophia Akuffo (retired) to place Gabby in his proper place in the debate of the DDEP is exemplary and uncommon in our Ghanaian politics.
Kudos to the former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo! Since that open altercation between the retired Justice Akuffo and Gabby, the de facto Prime Minister of Ghana has been missing in action in terms of his public tweets at a time when waste and ostentation are unbridled, astronomical, and worrying under this government.
Indeed, political power is transient and those who occupy political positions must recognize that the pecks generously given to them are not meant for them but for the positions they hold.
I hope Gabby is in deep reflection of the backlash of his unprovoked attack on her Ladyship Justice Sophia Akuffo (retired). Hence, his loud silence now is understandable.
All is not well with Ghana in the areas of free speech, infrastructural development, and general economy under this government and we need to express our views as citizens but not spectators as admonished by President Akufo-Addo in his inaugural speech in 2017.