Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has received advice from Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, a former minister of science, environment, technology, and innovation.
After the latter refuted all of the claims the former made in his galamsey report, he described the words of counsel as fatherly.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng claimed, among other things, that Kojo Oppong Nkrumah plotted to remove him from his position as head of the IMCIM (now disbanded) Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining.
On the heels of that, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng reminded Oppong Nkrumah in a statement that power is unstable, which is why he must treat him with the appropriate respect due to his seniority.
The statement says, in part:
“I have good advice for you, though. When I was part of the government, we were colleagues and I related to you as such. Now I will advise you as my son, just as I do my children. After all you are the same age as my 4th-born son. When I returned to Ghana from Germany to start the cardiothoracic project you were just 6 years old as my 4th child. I will not lie to you or insult you or be harsh on you.”
“My advice is, always remember that political power is both short-lived and effervescent. In about 2 years’ time you may no longer be in government, and you may experience the real world as former high-profile political power holders do. I will urge you to do your work diligently and avoid the coded and evil tactics Mr. Paul Adom-Otchere boastfully and unashamedly told the world on ‘Good Evening Ghana’ that you employ to deal with your real and perceived enemies”.
Despite being utterly disappointed by the allegations, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah added that he forgave the former minister even though he vehemently denied them and called them wholly false.
“Over the years, I had nothing but great admiration for Professor Frimpong-Boateng’s public-spirited works and as an inspirational citizen. I feel gravely offended over the false claims he has made and the hurtful conclusions he has sought to exact about me precisely because of the great esteem in which I have held him.
“I trust that in the coming months and years, he will reflect deeply upon his own actions and comments which have led to his challenges. He should kindly leave me out of his personal fights. I am utterly disappointed but I forgive him.”
This was in response to claims made by Prof. Frimpong Boateng in his report that:
“On Saturday the 8th of February 2020, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Minister for the information assembled a group of journalists from both NDC and NPP affiliated media houses at the Forest Hotel in Dodowa to discuss a strategy to bring me Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng down.”
