The Wayomo saga is one that I have followed than perhaps any case since I became a journalist. I read every single court judgement, spoke to Mr O B Amoah and had a lengthy discussion with Wayome himself on two occasions at his residence.
In one of our discussions, he brought out a heap of publications about him he had printed from various news outlets all over the world.
He spoke his love for Ghana and desire to see Ghana prosper, the jobs he had created and how his case was affecting the image of the nation in the business world.
From all he did to help Lybia underbid for CAN 2008 to pave way for Ghana due to his working relationship with the Gadaffi family to offices in set up Abroad for the cause.
Woyome aside being extremely religious is also quite emotional, he spoke with teams in his eyes.
I listened but didn’t take a stand
From the brief discussion I had with OB Amoah, all the judgements I read, it was extremely difficult to have an opinion or take a stand.
I also realised that the atmosphere was too poisoned for him to get any judgement in his favor. The Court of Public Opinion is a powerful tool and Wayome was a man declared guilty before being charged. People like OB Amoah and Osafo Marfo tried hard not to say much because of being castigated.
Today, the dust seems to have settled and I want to say this: it is not possible to conclude that Woyome did nothing for the state in relation to CAN 2008, in fact various court judgements alluded to this, it is not possible to conclude that these services came at a no cost.
Wayome to me definitely deserved some compensation from the state, he deserved a certain amount as judgement debt. However, I feel the amount was overbloated.
Even after this case, even after paying the state, I believe Wayome should take the state on again if the law allows it because I cannot imagine how he’d do all he did, a service somewhat corroborated by OB Amoah and Osafo Marfo without incurring personal costs.
Clearly, Woyome worked on the promise of something big, he met his part of the obligation but the gatekeepers failed to do theirs
The politics of this case was impossible for real justice to be served and I believe giving Wayome nothing isn’t just.
Wayome would possibly have been one of the richest and industrious Ghanaians if he did not pay heed to the alluring promise of the politician, he was played by both and fell to the bait.
In the end, both parties gave up on him and he was presented as the enemy of the state, left alone to fight over monies he most definitely didn’t spend alone and one that in my estimation he 100% deserved a portion of .
Wayome was a problem created by the NPP, compounded by NDC but one NPP might be (erroneously) credited for solving.
Isaac Kyei Andoh
