As the Akan proverb says “ Woa nya biribi ama Woa si aa yen bo no Koro nu” meaning “if you do not have anything to offer your in-laws, you do not steal from them”.
When the NDC came to power, I expected Oliver Baker-Vormawor to be given an appointment because his activism has greatly benefitted the NDC in opposition. During Nana Akufo-Addo’s tyrannical regime, where all dissenting views were suppressed, Oliver was bold and led a successful “Fix the Country” campaign and many more nationwide. Though that led to his arrest, his movement made the outgone NPP government unpopular and helped the NDC gain momentum for an easy campaign in 2024.
In addition to that, Oliver has shown through his activism that he is initiated for governance. If the new NDC leadership fails to recognize his value and understand that he represents the view of many voiceless and ordinary Ghanaians, they shouldn’t target him.
Oliver isn’t the first to make corruption claims; On February 21, 2020, while in opposition, Mr. Bernard Afiafor, who is now the deputy speaker of parliament, claimed that President Akufo-Addo’s fight against illegal mining was a scam. However, he didn’t provide any evidence and wasn’t invited by any committee to back up his claims.
Isn’t Oliver also a Ghanaian who deserves “Whistle-blower protection,” especially considering how hard it is to find people willing to testify against powerful figures in the country? Are we expecting an appointee to openly admit to paying a bribe to any member of the vetting committee when our laws clearly state that both the giver and the receiver of a bribe are guilty? Isn’t Oliver’s statement a matter of public interest that should lead to an investigation by an independent body instead of him being sermon before the very people he is accusing?
Even the ORAL made several allegations, yet no one has been prosecuted so far. Paul Adom-Otchere is still freely roaming around Ghana, and Gifty Oware-Boagye is also moving about without having to appear before any committee. Why should Oliver Baker-Vormawor, a private citizen who has never held a government position, be called to appear before a parliamentary committee when there are more pressing government matters to deal with? Why should the entire vetting process be halted because of this?
Government appointees should understand that the office they occupy is not their family inheritance. It is a public office, and any decision they take should align with the public interest, not a personal vendetta. Every occupation has an occupational hazard. In Ghana, the perception is that public officials are corrupt and so many international bodies including Transparency International have asserted this, but they didn’t provide any evidence. Why weren’t they sermons to parliament?
How is the vetting process carried out, and what kind of questions are asked? Does the vetting committee believe that the public is happy with it?
This article was written by Ing. Richard Mawuli Amegatse.
