Host of Metro TV's Good Evening Ghana show, Paul Adom-Otcheren has taken businessman Sam Jonah to the "slaughter house" over his speech at a public lecture with Rotarians in Accra.
Sam Jonah tackled some controversial issues, fearing the culture of silence which was long gone had returned during this dispensation.
He also addressed the destruction of Ghana's lands and waterbodies by illegal miners, particularly the Chinese, and the hopeless future looming over the Ghanaian youth as a result of what he believes are bad decisions taken by the Akufo-Addo government.
Paul Adom-Otchere, giving an editorial during his show, forwarded some crucial questions to the Sam Jonah.
According to him, since the businessman has now decided to speak publicly, then he should also tell the Ghanaian youth about his past deeds.
He questioned Sam Jonah's role in the takeover of the mining company, Anglogold Ashanti, which he was the Chief Executive Officer.
''What was his covert or overt role in the transaction that led Anglogold to become the majority shareholder of Ashanti? That was a transaction that was supported by government; no doubt about that. That was a transaction that was listed on the stock exchange; no doubt about that. In fact, Ashanti was already listed and this boosted Ashanti's image anyway.
"But the youth have to be told because, you see, dealing with [in] a natural resource and Sam Jonah in his speech talks about gold and how it is finite and talks about oil and how it is finite. So, he has had a role to play with gold. What was his overt or covert relationship/influence over that transaction? He must be able to tell us these things as he begins a new charter to talk publicly about the future of Ghana," he insisted.
To Paul, business moguls were to exercise discretion in poltical and national matters.
" . . there are business people in Ghana who never talk about politics. They are very, very wealthy people. They never talk about politics. They never say anything publicly. They never criticize. They are with the power. They are with NDC; they are with NPP", he stated, adding "if that is what Sam Jonah used to do, there's no problem with it. But if now he wants to come out and say that, at his age, he feels that irresponsible not to talk about the future; then he should tell us what he has done in the past".
Paul asserted that Sam Jonah must "give an account of what has happened in the past because you're talking about the future. We have to know whether it is mere words that you're sharing with us. We have to know whether it has some underlying frustrations that you're sharing with us or we have to understand that it's a philosophy that has guided you throughout your work".
Mr. Adom-Otchere believes Sam Jonah's criticisms go directly back to him.
“He [Sam Jonah] is a big man, he has been around for a very long time, and he comes and says the youth of Ghana, I now feel the responsibility to speak and you don’t tell us what you’ve been doing in the past when you have had such a tenacious relationship with the political decision making of Ghana since 1983; you won’t tell us what has happened about that…?'' he queried.
“So that we can understand whether the idea you present today is the idea that has been with you for a very long time. If that idea that you present today is not an idea that has been with for a long time, it is still a welcome idea but we want to know so that we put it on record because the record is important.''
"Sam Jonah cannot talk about the future without answering questions about his past," the outspoken Television show host demanded.
He continued; "If he won’t say anything at all, at least we know his role with Adisadel College and AshGold Football Club, we do not know his role in that major transaction that has punctuated the corporate and political history of our society, the Ashanti transaction . . .In both transactions, there was a critical decision about the heritage of the Ghanaian young person; because this gold resource, which is a Ghanaian resource was being treated in a certain way, was it being treated in the right way to guarantee the future of the young people that today Sam Jonah is concerned about?”
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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@Bright. My concern is that, if Sam Jonah has come to the realization, for the nation to take him serious, he should have told the whole country his contribution to the mess we are witnessing. Ask for our forgiveness and possibly, pay restitution to the country. If the young ones had known what he did to the nation, they might have being up in arms to chase him out of the country. Are you not aware of the phrase, "The message is as good as the messenger" and "He who demands equity must come with clean hands"? Thus, Sam Jonah must tell Ghanaians his role at AGC and financial leadership in Ghana before he point accusing fingers to others.
This guy is becoming a BIG laughing stalk in Ghana What is his (Paul) contribution to Ghana
@Bright '' the beneficiaries of the ills of the society''. Of course Sir Sam Jonah is part of the team. What are the rich men who started as public office holders done for the people of Ghana. Don't speak for anyone. Why has it taken such a long time for Sam to come out? It has been there since when he was the head of Ashanti Gold.
Did Sam Jonah say he is a saint. It is clear that the beneficiaries of the ills of society quickly jump into a frenzy any time well meaning individuals mention things we have to work on as a nation. How can we progress if people say all the issues raised are legitimate but saints must raise it. Paul should do an introspection and speak to the issues that one day can take us into the abyss
I think Sam should have kept quite and enjoyed his time away from public discourse especially political issues. He is smart, highly intelligent and well educated, so I wonder what made him to say that we are going back to" culture of silence ". Some of us who are in our mid fifties were relatively young but we saw and witnessed what it was. It is very unfortunate that all the good things Sir Sam Jonah said had been marred by that statement. We are in a country where people can make unfounded allegations against the presidents and even insults them without them being arrested which I think it shouldn't be." Culture of silence". Really!
This is an intellectual and interrogating piece devoid of the insults others are throwing up to Sir Sam Jonah. Why is it that Rawlings did not like Sir Sam Jonah? Did he know something about Sir Sam Jonah that Ghanaians don't know? Did the almost complete take over of the Ashanti gold benefits Ghana? Most of us thought that he really deserves the huge money he was given when he was leaving Ashanti Gold. With a hindsight was it appropriate for that huge amount to be given to Sir Sam Jonah considering the fact available now that the deal was not good for Ghana. We should not take any thing out of Sir Sam Jonah but nobody can deny the fact that Ashanti Gold was a massive part of his success story. A spring board for his multi million business in worldwide. The question is did his stewardship in the Ashanti Gold make Ghana better?