Fifi Kwetey
A simple question that sought to juxtapose the performance of John Dramani Mahama as president and as former vice president sent the National Democratic Congress (NDC) former propaganda chief, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, on the canvass.
At the NDC’s infamous programme dubbed, ‘Setting the Records Straight’ last week, Fifi Kwetey, who is currently the minister of Transport, extolled the virtues of President Mahama as then head of the economic management team under late President John Evans Atta Mills.
However, when he was asked about the reasons for the current economic mess under the same Mahama and whether current Vice President Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur has failed in the same role, Fifi Kwetey started engaging in what can best be described as “vodoo analysis,” as the question caught him napping, chanting ‘eh eh eh’ before Okudzeto Ablakwa – deputy minister in-charge of tertiary education – rescued him.
The question, which was the only one asked by the horde of journalists at the forum – knowing that the whole exercise was propaganda – threw Fifi Kwetey off balance and he started attacking the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) for claiming that the NDC government is fast bringing Ghana on its knees in all sectors of the economy.
Weird Analysis
In reference to President Mahama, the deputy minister said, “He led the NDC to chalk some unprecedented successes. As a country we were moving into what we call head wins at the close of the year 2010.
“The most important part of that head win was the phenomenal jump that happened in the public sector wage which is going from the previous GH¢2.5 billion of the NPP into initially somewhere in the region of about 8 to 9 billion and as I am talking to you projected this year, we are looking at about GH¢12 billion.”
He noted, “Because you must remember the very first point of call in every country is wages; that is the first thing you must do and the second is interest payment. The very first one which is interest, if it jumps very high naturally you are going to have difficulties.”
Non-Performing Loans
He said, “JM has ensured that throughout this period, non-performing loans within the banking sector never reached the 22% that the NPP left it. Throughout this period 2009 till date, JM has competently ensured that we don’t have any of the cocaine cash flowing into the economy so this is what we call real credible economic management.”
Fifi Kwetey, without showing any data said, “Not some economy which they know about. JM has ensured even though the cedi went through some difficulty, this year the cedi has found its strength again and I mentioned 4.1 % depreciation of the currency and that makes it the most stable currency in the West African sub-region and this clearly shows the man JM knows his game.”
Strangely, under Fifi Kwetey as Agric Minister, the sector grew at 0.014% – one of the worst in the country – as well as the cedi depreciating from GH¢1.80 in 2013 to GH¢4 in 2016 after hitting GH¢4.60 in 2015.
Falsehood
Fifi Kwetey is noted for peddling falsehood against his political opponents. In the heat of the 2008 general election, he published that then President John Agyekum Kufuor had stolen all Ghana’s gold reserves at the Bank of Ghana, but when pushed at the vetting committee to provide evidence, he admitted he lied.
Cocaine Trade
A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) communications team, John Kumah, later reacted to Fifi Kwetey’s claims and accused the NDC of promoting cocaine trade in the country.
Mr. Kumah said Fifi Kwetey lacked credibility and his assertions were entirely untrue, pointing out, “You have used the presidency to promote cocaine and you have the audacity to refer to MV Benjamin which a committee sat and came up to say that the 77 parcels of cocaine was somebody’s figment of imagination and that there was no such thing.”
“What is his (Fifi Kwetey’s) credibility to raise dead propaganda issues over weightier matters like you have received GH¢248 billion and you have not accounted for it?”
Mr. Kuma said the NDC has retrogressed and dwindled Ghana’s economic fortunes, in spite of the firm foundation laid by the NPP before 2009.
By William Yaw Owusu