Helda Boadi. INSET: Kwadwo Adu Asare
Former Member of Parliament (MP) for Adenta, Kwadwo Adu Asare, has been relieved of his post as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the newly-created Youth Enterprise Support (YES).
The scheme (YES) was initiated by President John Dramani Mahama in August this year with a GH¢10,000,000 seed capital purported to assist young Ghanaians with creative and innovative business ideas and plans to achieve their full potentials.
Adu Asare was appointed the first CEO to oversee the activities and operations of the programme almost two months ago.
But even before he could settle at the office, the man has been booted out of the place with no specific reasons assigned yet, even though many believe it may not be unconnected with the reckless handling of events leading to Ghana’s poor showing at the 2014 World Cup tourney in Brazil by him and his other colleagues. Unfolding events at the Presidential Commission that is probing the country’s abysmal performance at the soccer fiesta have shown that the handling was embroiled in a series of scandals.
Ayariga’s Confirmation
Minister of Youth and Sports, Mahama Ayariga, yesterday confirmed the dismissal of Mr Adu Asare, also known as Swagger Baby, on Accra-based Citi FM .
The former Adenta MP wept like a baby when he appeared before the Justice Senyo Dzamefe-led three-member fact-finding Commission, prompting members of the Commission to advise him to put himself together.
But the tears, which many have said were a facade to court public sympathy, could not save the man his job.
In his place has been appointed Madam Helga Boadi, who was Corporate Affairs Manager at First Atlantic Bank—a bank with eight branches in the whole of Ghana and Country Manager at Fasyl Technology Ghana Limited.
Presidential Staffer
However, Adu Asare reverts to his position as a Presidential Staffer, joining the list of hangers-on at the Flagstaff House (office of the President) who have been drawing fat salaries and allowances with no job specifications.
Swagger Baby is the second government appointee to suffer a similar fate after the World Cup debacle. While he has had his appointment terminated, his other colleague former Minister for Youth and Sports—who superintended over the whole World Cup fiasco, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah—has been kept in the bosom of the President at the Flagstaff House.
IMANI-Ghana’s Agitation
President of policy think-tank, IMANI Ghana, Franklin Cudjoe, was one of the several people who were pushing for the removal or resignation of Adu Asare when he was first made CEO of the Youth Enterprise Support programme.
‘If the gentleman who…had a simple objective of attracting corporate funds and using them for something else will be the same gentleman that will go and sit clearly on this YES fund, I think it borders on the issue of integrity. I will advise him to resign from the YES thing immediately,’ said Franklin Cudjoe during an interview on Citi FM.
Calls For Afriyie Ankrah’s Dismissal
Even though there were similar calls for Afriyie Ankrah (known for his ‘choo boi’ antics)—who served as Campaign Manager for the elections that saw then candidate and Vice President Mahama becoming President—to be dismissed from government, the President only relieved him of his duties as the Minister of Youth and Sports and honoured him with the position of a Minister of State at the Office of the President.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu
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