Mr. James Kofi Afedo
A former Communication Consultant at the Electoral Commission of Ghana, Mr. James Kofi Afedo has replied the Daily Guide Newspaper over its ‘Mahama boy’ headline saying the publication is ‘purely motivated by mischief and envy’.
According to the communication expert currently at the Ministry of Communication as a Consultant on a World Bank funded project, the “the only conclusion I came to after reading the crap [the news item], was that it was just another piece of yellow journalism by the politically rented press, motivated purely by mischief and envy.”
He questioned how his role at the Electoral Commission as [ads1]communications consultant prior to the election 2016 be linked to an intention of rigging the election when he has no direct dealings with the electoral materials.
“In any case, how does a Communications Expert who has no direct dealings with the electoral materials and process rig an election?”
He also rubbished claims that the EC was on a rigging mission for the then incumbent President John Mahama who was seeking reelection.
“Indeed if it was possible to rig the election, how come Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo was the one declared the President of the Republic? It appears some of these people are bereft of common sense and completely ignorant of basic facts. That front page ‘story’ by the Daily [] (Guide) Newspaper is purely motivated by mischief and envy. Nothing more.”
Read his full statement:
THANK YOU DAILY RUBBISH (GUIDE) NEWSPAPER, FOR MAKING ME TREND THIS WEEKEND
I woke up on Saturday to calls from friends that I was being discussed on Peace Fm. My first response was to laugh out loud. But I decided to waste my GHS2.50 to buy the Daily Rubbish (Guide) Newspaper to exactly evaluate what they had published about me and to determine if it was worth my attention.
The only conclusion I came to after reading the crap, was that it was just another piece of yellow journalism by the politically rented press, motivated purely by mischief and envy.
For the record, the standard rate for the kind of job I did is $3,500 at the minimum. This is verifiable with a little bit of checks around. Yes, specialized expertise costs money. A lot of it. But I am never motivated by money. I always want my results to speak for me and I genuinely believed I had what it takes to change the negative narratives around the EC and to prove that a young Ghanaian can do it.
At the time I got in, even Commissioners were afraid to identify themselves in public as members of the EC. Directors and Senior officers were all hiding and would never identify themselves as staff of the Commission in public.
By the time the job was done, I became a hero in the entire Commission. Commission members heaped continuous praises on me and thanked me endlessly for being their saviour.
Directors and senior officers celebrated me. They now felt proud to confidently say in public places that they work for the Electoral Commission.
USAID, my employers were also extremely satisfied with the job I did.
Even those who are making the noise now were begging me not to go. They wanted me to continue to help them for a much longer time. But I had a much better offer on a World Bank project at the Ministry of Communications after a rigorously competitive recruitment process. So I had to move on.
By the way, assuming I am that privileged to be a ‘Mahama boy’ because in 2012, I was convinced that he was the better candidate to be President, does that disqualify me from deploying my professional competence and expertise to help my country? I am a Ghanaian and I have equal rights to this country. I may be young but by the grace of God, I certainly know my onions.
In any case, how does a Communications Expert who has no direct dealings with the electoral materials and process rig an election? Indeed if it was possible to rig the election, how come Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo was the one declared the President of the Republic? It appears some of these people are bereft of common sense and completely ignorant of basic facts. That front page ‘story’ by the Daily Rubbish (Guide) Newspaper is purely motivated by mischief and envy. Nothing more.
Apart from that, my track record and competence is never in doubt. A first class graduate of the University of Ghana, a merit Masters graduate of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), a Commonwealth Scholar, a BBC trained journalist, former BBC Correspondent for Ghana, former Producer of three flagship Programme’s of radio in Ghana, (Super Morning Show, Frontpage, and Newsfile on Joy Fm); former Assistant Registrar – Public Relations for the University of Professional Studies; former Editor-In-Chief of the Daily Express, former News and Current Affairs Production Manager at TV3, PR Consultant at the EventPR Company, Overall Best Student of the Associate Level of the Institute of Public Relations Ghana (IPR), until recently, a Communications Consultant on the World Bank funded e-Transform Project at the Ministry of Communications; and Second Class Upper LL.B graduate from Mountcrest University College (affiliate of KNUST), all of that do not qualify me to be appointed a Communications Consultant to the Electoral Commission. I guess my only qualification should have been an NPP member or sympathizer.
I love what I do and there is more coming. They better get ready for it. I do not settle for mediocrity. I have passion for excellence. I stand for excellence and I pursue excellence.
James Afedo is my name.