Finance Minister, Mr. Ken Ofori-Attah
I have over the weekend read with angst an online comment attributed to the Finance Minister, Mr. Ken Ofori-Attah, concerning Ghana's cocoa sector vis-a-vis China selling its first cocoa beans to Belgium, on the world market.
The finance minister who's ought to be the first person to see the writing on the wall and inform the citizenry the doom we have ahead of us, and how our major source of livelihood is sliding through the windows of our fingers; says: "China's presence in the cocoa market is good news."
China now sells cocoa beans, after their illegal mining activities have released indestructible mercury to destroy the soil and having its deposits in the priced commodity. Our beans stand the threats of being banned from the European market, where our product is premiumed by chocolate makers. Same time we've read China selling her beans to the European market.
Look, the sagely septuagenarian Sir Sam Jonah talks about four people who fear not standing on the side of truth.
1. The Mahatma Gandhis who cares not about material wealth.
2. The Rockefellers whose wealth placed them above reproach.
3. The patient declared by his physician to die in three days time.
4. The grownups like himself (Dr. Jonah), who know it all and will not do disservice to the younger ones by massaging the truth.
On our side, the 'New Africa Movement' I lead, do add a fifth creed to that of Sir Sam Jonah's.
We the youth of Ghana and Africa who are going to be yoked by the burden of the mess caused by those at the helm today are like the four fearless characters aforementioned. And we're speaking with the fearless spirit that will buy us true freedom.
We're angry to having uncaring leaders like Mr. Ken Ofori-Attah who plays the ostrich and sees it as not a bad omen that we would be sharing the cocoa market with the Chinese.
Deliberately, their activities are destroying our rainforests, cutting down cocoa trees, and the best the supposed leader could say is: "China entering the market will be good for Ghana?"
Who is deceiving the minister that China is a safe market for our beans, and that they will have a taste for our product?
If that's the case, as they're developing tastes for cocoa products aside their traditional tea, why would they sell their first fruit to a third country - Belgium?
Though we don't share in the manner in which the NDC's communication Director, Sammy Gyamfi tongue-lashed his party's parliamentary caucus for endorsing the reappointment of Mr. Ofori-Attah as the finance minister, we do buy into his boiled up anger that the man doesn't deserve his position. He's gradually running aground our economy with irredeemable debts. And now our premium cocoa too he's sought to play games with.
The 'New Africa Movement' through this Communiqué is reaching out to Mr. Ken Ofori-Attah that we take his comment on the cocoa issue as very bitter and insulting to us true patriots who share in the pains of the cocoa farmers, all stakeholders and their dependants.
He'll do himself and the position he occupies good by coming out to clarify what we read through his cousin Gabby Okyere Darko. Or else, he should gird his loins tightly for the scourges we have coming at his heels.
We can't sit on the fence unconcerned as we keep on mortgaging our heritage to the Chinese with their wanton siphoning of our betters. Yesterday they stole our precious rosewood, today they produce cocoa beans and bag our traditional gari for sale.
Who knows what's next?
Rise up, youth of Ghana. Let's fight with all our might youth of Africa. Our future is not secured with the status quo.
Let's join hands and build a new Ghana, a new Africa.