There is the tendency for high performing staff in every organisation to think and feel that they are indispensable.
They harbour these thoughts and feelings because of what their bosses feed their ears with day in and out.
There are others who ‘suo moto‘, assume that no one can sack them. Worse still, they feel that without them, the job will suffer. They take on the indispensable tag, paste it on their chests and throw their weight about. In the process, they hit everybody with all the organizational frustrations that are weighing them down.
Personally, my former bosses always found it difficult to let me go when I wanted to. Even leave. Matter!
When I resigned from Datus Complex Schools, Bubuashie to take up an appointment at Prince of Peace International School (POPIS) in the mid-1990s, the Administrator of Datus, Mr. Ahlijah, who must have had hint of my new place of work went there on a hot afternoon to enquire for himself. I was not given further details, except to say that the man asked if I was on their staff roll. I left and Datus thrived.
Another boss of mine will go like, ‘ei Mr. Ayettey!’ anytime I mention the need to go on leave.
There was this other boss, who because of happenings at the time, I told that I may have to quit the job. He replied in Twi “wokoa, obibɛba”- When you leave, someone will replace you.
Actions they say speak louder than words- his demeanour the morning after I announced my exit, indicated to me that he did not sleep well the night before. Later, he sent emissaries to come and possibly talk me out of my decision. Long story short, I quitted and true to his words, someone took over. Since then, our relationship has not been what it used to be. But the job has continued. Even better than I could ever imagine.
At my next job, I worked for over 3 years without a break. Except few days off here and there. At a point, it became imperative that I proceeded on leave.
I considered the exigencies of the time and felt that a two-week leave should suffice. I approached my boss to test the waters. She responded in Ga- “Kɛ oteelɛ, namƆ baatsu nitsumƆ lɛ?” – ‘When you leave who will do the job?’ To reassure her, I said “wƆ baatsu” -‘we will’.
I quickly recovered from the shock that her remark engendered because I saw her tongue in her cheek. However, a further push to get the leave approved was met with subtle indications of how my absence may not be too good for the business. I took the leave nonetheless. And work continued undisrupted.
It was during this period that I realised that I was not well. But if the Bible says in 2 Thessalonians 3:10 that “he who does not work must not eat”, one must resume work. I did, but broke down completely only four months later. That forced-shutdown made me realise that rest is medicine.
Who is Ken Ofori-Atta?
His full name is Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta. His name became a household one when he was appointed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo (NADAA) as Minister of Finance. This followed NADAA’s assumption of office on 7 January 2017.
As his maternal cousin, President Akufo-Addo must have had prior knowledge of this brief but rich profile published by https://www.mondaq.com/ on January 16, 2017:
- Ken Ofori-Atta has a very strong financial background, particularly within the private sector. He is the co-founder of Databank, a successful brokerage and asset management firm. He is also a director of other banking institutions and serves on a number of boards.
- He is extremely loyal to the NPP and was the Director of Fundraising for the party during the 2016 elections. He even took on personal debt to finance campaigns for the party in 2012.
- He has a reputation for being an honest and accountable businessman and this will be key in the Akufo-Addo administration’s attempts to fight the corruption that has plagued the country in recent years.
- Ken Ofori-Atta is well liked by both the business community and the general population. He is more dynamic and connects well with the citizenry.
Against this background, President Akufo-Addo in his characteristic swag body language, introduced Nana Yaw as the messiah of our economic woes, hence the person whose name will be submitted to Parliament for confirmation as Minister of Finance. Mr. Ofori-Atta subsequently assumed office on 27 January 2017.
With regard to education, young Ken Ofori-Atta attended Achimota School for his O-Level and A-Level education and graduated in 1978. In August 1980, Ken was enrolled in Columbia University for a B.A. in Economics. He graduated from Columbia in 1984 and worked at Morgan Stanley in New York. He graduated from Yale University School of Management in 1988 with an MBA in Economics after which he worked with the investment bank called Salomon Brothers.
He is said to have other business interests in Insurance, Retail Banking, Private Equity, Micro-finance, Pharmaceuticals and Real Estate. Nana Yaw is definitely not a man of straw.
To return to the subject of indispensability, it is doubtless that in the eyes of Prez Akufo-Addo, Mr. Ofori-Atta is indispensable. This NADAA has somehow made known to Mr. Ofori-Atta. Wherefore Nana Yaw has assumed and believes same to be true, that he is indispensable. How many bosses will wait for you for several months to recover from Covid-19 and its complications to assume a position that many others can occupy?
Does the means justify the end?
I have intentionally turned this expression (end justify the means) on its head because five years and seven months after Mr. Ofori-Atta was appointed, the above-referenced laudable credentials are being questioned.
That’s because unlike what he was able to do with Data Bank, he has failed to grow Ghana’s economy. According to his detractors, economic development indicators such as inflation rate and GDP are wobbly.
Inflation rate is now 31% and one requires GHC10.00 to acquire $1.00, not to mention high fuel prices that have increased the general cost of living in the country- “Kromu ayɛ hyi” is the general refrain in town.
This notwithstanding, Mr. Ofori-Atta gave us assurance that we will not seek external support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Somehow, a week or so later, his boss directed him to do exactly that. With a crest-fallen face, he presented a midyear budget that experts say is uninspiring.
Now the calls for his resignation/dismissal have become very loud and from both NPP and NDC stalwarts. On the red, green, white and black corner are Seth Terkper, John Mahama and Cassiel Ato Forson, whereas Kwabena Agyapong, Dr Amoako Baah and, Kwadwo Mpiani are on the red, blue and white corner.
Mr. Godfred Bopkin, Prof. Baffuor Agyeman-Duah and my good friend Mr. Martin Kpebu are the neutral voices, so to speak.
Who will do the job if Ken Ofori-Atta resigns or is sacked?
Just as I answered in my personal instance, we will do it. Because we have the men and a woman. Dr. John Ampontuah Kumah, Deputy Minister, Mr. Charles Adu Boahen, Minister of State and Mrs. Abena Osei-Asare, Deputy Minister.
There are several others who may even be more competent than this squad around, if the job is advertised. “Remember talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not”- Leila Jonah. That is why I don’t understand why Ken does not want to resign.
Well, I can hazard some guesses.
- Ken’s Personal Interest
Ken has told all of us that he has been diagnosed of liver disease.
Here is how Citinewsroom reported it, “The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has opened up about his struggles with ill-health in recent times. There have been speculations about the Minister’s health due to changes in his physical appearance in public for some time now.
Speaking on Good Evening Ghana on Metro TV on Thursday, November 19, 2021, Mr. Ofori-Atta said, “I got COVID-19 somewhere in November and then got out of a hospital’s emergency. I came home on the 10th of December, things were pretty good when I came. Then I began to feel jaundiced. I was later diagnosed and told my liver was inflamed and required some work to determine what was really happening.”
“It took some time to find the probable cure, which involved steroids and all of that. I went back for review in August. The information was that it’s pretty much gone. They are now titrating to see how to bring the steroid down, so I can get back to normal life. Essentially, I’m pretty much mended. I need just to manage my rest, sleep and exercise and have some good food.”
If you missed the opportunity to know why your Finance Minister’s face looks bloated, now you know. He is on steroids as treatment. This treatment is definitely beyond the ordinary man’s budget. As a Minister of State of cabinet status, we pick up the bills. I stand corrected if that’s not the case. The probability is 99% though, based on what I know. If he resigns, who will pay for the treatment?
Why should he leave a guaranteed monthly salary to go hustle for one? Talk less of all the allowances including one for entertainment. Fuel-full and chauffeur-driven V8, guaranteed.
- NADAA’s interest
Ken is NADAA’s cousin. Besides the aforementioned professional confidence reposed in Nana Yaw by Nana Akufo-Addo, there is blood relationship. Blood, they say is thicker than water.
Additionally, the other day, I mentioned former President Mahama’s assertion that he will always choose loyalty over competence. I have not heard same from NADAA. But if one considers the fact that the originator of that advice is President Kufuor, then one can surmise that this notion is being given expression by NADAA in his choice and sustained use of Mr. Ofori-Atta as the keeper of the public purse.
That can be the only reason why in spite of all the calls for the dismissal of Nana Yaw, the President has not even commented on it. The devil you know is better than the angel you don’t know- This is what NADAA is communicating to us non-verbally.
What he chose to verbally communicate about is the call for a ministerial reshuffle. Just in case you missed the comment, Myjoyonline.com reported it thus, “The calls come for all kinds of reasons; NDC wanting to destabilise the government is one. There are people who are also looking for jobs.”
Can you imagine? Our leaders can say things paaaa! He did not end there, “Many of them for me have done outstanding work. Their output has been considerable, and that is what I look at. If the output meets expectations, then I don’t have any strong reasons to heed the call,” President Akufo-Addo added.
Clearly, President Akufo-Addo has been so blinded by loyalty that the virtue in the proverb, “he who cuts the path does not see how crooked it is”, is lost on him. “Output meets expectations?’ oooohk!
So in NADAA’s considered opinion, Seth Terkper, John Mahama, Cassiel Ato Forson are seeking to destabilize his government whereas Mr. Kwabena Agyapong, Mr. Kwadwo Mpiani. Dr. Amoako Baah, Mr. Godfred Bopkin, Prof. Baffuor Agyeman-Duah and Mr. Martin Kpebu are looking for jobs. SMH!
Why Ken must take a long leave
Resign? No, for obvious reasons. How about a long leave?
Forgive me but I have to prick an old wound. We were all in this country when the late President, Prof. J. E. A. Mills returned from a medical checkup in America to inform us that he had been given a clean bill of health by his doctors.
To prove his detractors wrong, he trotted on the tarmac at the airport and subsequently delivered a speech in an extremely nasalised tone. It was only recently that his brother, Hon. Sam Atta-Mills opened up on Prof. Mills’ banter with sinusitis and the rest which he said, “I will take to my grave.”
It is in the light of this that I take Ken’s “I’m pretty much mended” with ‘a sack of salt’ while I urge, nay beg him to do this, “manage my rest, sleep and exercise and have some good food.” A six-month leave will definitely do him a lot of good.
It’s time to go
When I worked with Radio Gold in the late 90s-early 2000s, the staff, especially our on-air personalities, at a point developed that sense of indispensability. This affected their attitude to work and the performance of the station.
The late Mr. Kwasi Sainttie Baffoe-Bonney, GM 1, therefore brought in an HR Consultant, Maame Adjoa. One of her key messages during any interaction she had with us was, “Do not kid yourself, Radio Gold will not fold up without you.” Ooh how I hated that statement at the time. Overtime, I have realised how true her assertion is.
Before she came though, we used to have Mrs. Angela Lamensdorf Ofori-Atta as a permanent resource person on one of our flagship programmes on Sunday afternoons, “Odo ye wu”- ‘Love is death was the title.’ Hosted by Kwaku Boafo Agyemang, I loved that show. Needless to say that I learned a few tips for my marriage.
Little did I know then that the Ofori-Atta in the resource person’s name belonged to Nana Yaw. Now I know. So, Mrs. Ofori-Atta, please show your love, convince your husband to take a long leave. I have prescribed six months. I know you know better than I do, as a Clinical Psychologist, what rest can do for your darling husband.
I have no doubt that you must have already been trying without success. But “You can get it if you really want. Try and try, you will succeed at last”- Jimmy Cliff.
Please tell him I said, he should not kid himself, Ghana will not fold up without him. If he drops today, we will move on. Mr. Kwadwo Baah Wiredu dropped, we did, Prof. Mills kicked the bucket, we moved on. We will only dedicate a few days for a befitting farewell and that’s it. It his family that may feel the void, not Ghana.
Don’t forget to add that if he takes that break, he will realise that stress is a killer whereas rest is medicine.
Tot Ziens – That’s goodbye in Dutch
Let God lead! Follow Him directly, not true any human.
The writer works at Myjoyonline.com. He is also an author of two books whose contents share knowledge on how anyone desirous of writing like him can do so. Eric can be reached via email eric.mensah-ayettey@myjoyonline.com. The two books cost GHC80.00.
