Prof. Kwesi Yankah and Julius Debrah
Ghanaian academic and former Minister of State, Prof. Kwesi Yankah, has taken a swipe at Chief of Staff Julius Debrah for shedding “crocodile tears” while apologising for some comments made by the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Free Zones Authority, Dr. Mary Awusi.
According to him, government officials should rather focus their tears on the nation’s worsening environmental pollution which is killing many by the day.
Prof. Yankah, in an opinion piece titled ‘Weep Not Julius, Mourn Your Dying Nation,’ said Julius Debrah and his government should direct their tears at the fight against illegal mining, known in local parlance as galamsey, rather than shedding fake tears for the actions of “rude CEOs.”
Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, on April 26, 2026, broke down in tears during a thanksgiving service marking his 60th birthday at the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC), Trasacco, as he rendered an apology to the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Kwabena Nyamekye over the offensive comments made by Dr. Awusi.
The Ghana Free Zones Authority CEO had descended on Apostle Nyamekye after he lamented how polluted rivers had adversely affected Christian baptism in mining communities.
Dr. Awusi, in response, condemned the comments by one of the leading voices in The Church of Pentecost in Ghana, stating emphatically that “If the church leader continues to behave like a politician, we will deal with him as a politician.”
Misplaced Apology
However, Prof. Yankah is of the opinion that the Chief of Staff’s apology is misplaced as such apologies should rather be in response to the nation’s wider tragedy, particularly illegal mining which continues to wreak havoc in mining communities.
He was particularly concerned about the fact that the Chief of Staff chose to shed someone else’s tears, instead of Dr. Awusi who made the offensive comments.
“The problem with Julius Debrah is indeed shedding somebody’s tears in her absence. Dr. Debrah seemed to say, ‘I do hereby weep uncontrollably on behalf of the CEO of Free Zones Board who made that offensive utterance, but has been unwilling to cry. I hereby wear her eyeballs to weep.’ Julius seemed to be saying at his 60th birthday key soap concert,” he said.
Prof. Yankah pointed out the rarity in seeing “a big man publicly cry in a celebratory garment,” but was quick to note that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government currently grappling with a reset agenda knows the political implications of offending a church leader who has millions of following.
He also pointed out that Dr. Debrah may have his own presidential ambitions and chose to apologise, knowing how important such a public apology could be to his political ambitions.
“Votes in Election 2028 may indeed flee ‘Pentecostally’ if damage caused is not swiftly controlled. The public tears of Julius Debrah, a likely contestant for the presidency, thus had the trappings of Paga reptiles; but it was meant to seal the deal and clear the path for a presidency he eyes,” he observed.
Prof. Yankah made reference to a recent letter by the Paediatric Society of Ghana addressed to President John Mahama, lamenting the nation’s assault on children.
He provided an excerpt of the letter as “Pre-natal exposure to mercury is associated with irreversible brain damage…It increases the burden of chronic diseases, infections and malnutrition of children. Galamsey isn’t just an environmental problem; it is a slow assault on the Ghanaian child…”
He said this is what should draw tears from the Chief of Staff and the staff he leads.
“Your Boss indeed confesses that some of your staff are complicit in the assault on Ghana. Julius, weep Not for rude CEOs,” Prof. Yankah added.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak
