Former President John Agyekum Kufour has stated that he would have made a fool of himself if he hadn’t entrusted some positions in his government to family and friends.
Speaking on Asaase radio, he noted that being a president it’s important you work with people you can trust but have competence. To him, competence and loyalty is key to appointing ministers as President.
He stated, “In my case, I had a brother-in-law, the late Joseph Henry Mensah, who would help. From Kwame Nkrumah’s time, he [JH Mensah] laid Nkrumah’s seven-year development plan, a very accomplished economist, had worked with the United Nations, a real master of economic management, I married his sister, you think I would be the biggest fool, not to count myself lucky having this guy and say please stay in this thing and let’s think out solutions.”
“My younger brother Dr Addo Kufuor was already a Member of Parliament who’s very bright, very competent in many ways but a Physician specialist, but politically he was in Parliament before I became President […] I know him, I know his competence and how serious he is, so when I got the chance, to ensure that security which is a topmost priority for me be fixed so that I have peace of mind… I looked around and my brother was there, I told him to take the position and it worked very well for me,” Kufour added.
“It wasn’t nepotism, favouritism for my family. I was using the competency for my efficiency. The efficiency of the government needs very competent and reliable staffers,” he noted.
Source: GhanaFeed.com
