Said Sinare, Martin Amidu and others Snub Mills

Said Sinare Reports reaching DAILY GUIDE indicate that a number of National Democratic Congress (NDC) heavy-weights have rejected appointments from President John Evans Atta Mills, claiming that the offers are not commensurate with their contributions to the fortunes of the party. Among the sulking figures are a one-time Member of Parliament (MP) for the Central Ayawaso Central constituency and National Vice Chairman of the party, Said Sinare, former Deputy Attorney-General and Bawku boy, Martin Amidu alias ‘Shadow Vice President’ and NDC National Chairman, Dr. Kwabena Adjei, who is said to have rejected the offer of High Commissioner to Australia. Accra Zongo Boy Said Sinare, son of the first Imam of the Ghana Armed Forces, the late Major Sinare, has reportedly hurled back at President Mills the offer to serve on the Ghana Postal Service Board. He was conspicuously missing when the Board was inaugurated, after wondering aloud if he had been sent to the Post Office to distribute stamps. Sinare has also allegedly rejected another offer by the President to serve as deputy ambassador to Egypt, his mother’s home-country. Sources close to Alhaji Said Sinare have hinted DAILY GUIDE that he had expected to be given an offer of Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and not a mere deputy. Indeed, Sinare had lobbied for the Saudi slot unsuccessfully before the final list of ambassadorial postings was made public. His hopes were reportedly kept alive when a top Islamic cleric added his weight to the lobbyists for the juicy position which spans supervision of about four countries in the Middle East. DAILY GUIDE has gathered that the Islamic spiritual leader’s endorsement was ‘diplomatically’ pushed aside, much to the disappointment of the ‘hopeful’ and his supporters. The former MP, whose mother is Egyptian, speaks Arabic; an advantage which he expected would give him an edge over others for the ambassadorial position to the oil rich Saud Arabia. At a time when Ghana has struck oil, the country’s Embassy in the Arabian kingdom would witness an added schedule besides the usual management of relationship in the annual Hajj affairs. Alhaji Sinare’s alleged quest for ways and means to give an advantage to the NDC last December made headline news when his frustration erupted after a request for a top-up after a trip to Burkina Faso was turned down. He announced his resignation from the party out of frustration at the time he was virtually stranded at Burkina. When the media probed, he said “go and ask Ahwoi”, since he did not want to go into the details of his mission to Burkina Faso, the ancestral land of his Mossi father. Lawyer Martin Amidu, the man who partnered then Candidate Mills in the 2000 elections, earning a shadow Vice President tag, is also said to be not enthused with the offer of an ambassadorial position to Burkina Faso. Hailing from Bawku, a stone throw from the Burkina border, Mr Amidu is said to have asked whether the offer is because of the proximity of his hometown to the northernmost neighbour of Ghana. The position has been given to a certain Chief Mandeaya Bawumia, while the Ambassador to Saudi Arabia has gone to Alhaji Abdulai Salifu. He was tipped to be picked to partner Mills in the 2004 elections after Mills failed to win the presidency in 2000, but in the end, it was Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni who got the nod, with no explanation as to why he was dropped unceremoniously. With what is perceived to be a sufficient compensation to Lawyer Mumuni in the form of a Cabinet appointment of Foreign Affairs Minister, the Bawku boy expected something similar. That not coming, he appears to have said a ‘no thank you’ to the Burkina Faso offer. Lawyer Mumuni has suffered remarkable tribulations in his political life and many consider the offer of the Foreign Affairs portfolio as an apt one. Dr. Kwabena Adjei, National Chairman of the NDC, whose sojourn in the political trench during the opposition of the party is household knowledge in local politics, had also declined the offer of an ambassadorial position to Down Under or Australia. DAILY GUIDE has gathered that the former Psychology teacher at the University of Ghana, as well as a former Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, would prefer something which would not take him out of the country and is staking out in organizing the party from home base. He was therefore made the Board Chairman of Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund). It would be recalled that Vice President John Dramani Mahama recently asked sulking party members to be patient with the leadership because not everyone can be given appointment. He promised however that with time, jobs would be created to satisfy the yearnings of many expectant party faithful. The anguish of party faithful found a place also when ex-President Rawlings took a swipe at what for him is the appointment of persons who do not deserve such offers, considering their loyalty. One of the headaches of President Mills is how to satisfy the aspirations of party faithful, all of who expect to be considered for one form of appointment or the other. By A.R. Gomda