People are talking too much about what they did for the NPP on several platforms recently as a basis for reward or award. 

I have to tell my story too. When the NPP was formed in July 1992,  I was a teacher trainee at the then Bagabaga Teacher Training College.  

We were transitioning from a military rule to a democratic rule. The fear of Chairman Rawlings was still in the air, but we decided to associate with the NPP.

After  the 1992 presidential  elections, which the NPP described as a stolen verdict, the Parliamentary election was boycotted by the NPP. 

The media then was not saturated like now. I don't remember any private radio station beyong the GBC then. 

The NPP needed an outlet to carry its messages to the Ghanaian people. So, the Statesman Newspaper was relaunched for this purpose. 

I was a regular contributor to the Statesman those days. I wrote on topical issues generally bothering on human rights. Injustices and wrongs in society. 

At the time, Mohammed Awal ( a lawyer now) from Salaga, who was based in Tamale, was the reporter for the Statesman. 

He wanted to go for further studies in 1995, and the paper needed someone who was fearless and couldn't be intimidated.

Based on my articles to the Statesman, Mr Ampadu, who was the Northern Regional treasurer of the NPP, then together with Alhaji Armiyao Haruna Atta (Folio  48)  who was also the Northern Regional Secretary of the NPP recommended me highly to the Statesman and I was engaged by Alhaji Haruna attah now the Ambassador of Ghana to Namibia.

This was not a usual period for the media in Ghana. 

 It was the era that was described as the culture of silence. 

Journalists were arrested and imprisoned, and media houses were shit-  bombed  ( pouring of feces in front of the offices of media houses).

We never gave up. We stood our grounds and took the risk at a time human beings were getting missing just to serve the opposition NPP.

May I state that the Kinesic Communications were our publishers. The Statesman was for Nana Addo. 

And we used to meet Nana Addo at the Kokomlemle office of the Statesman then.  

His messages were generally to encourage and assure us of our safety and legal support, should  we fall foul of the law. 

This was between 1995 and 1998. ( That is why I always say I knew Nana Addo before 90% of the Aides around him met him) .

Our editor was Abdul- Rahaman Haruna Attah,  Ferdinand O. Ayim was our chief reporter, and  Yaw Amfo- Kwakye was the director. 

Some of the reporters were Joe Lartey, Ken Bediako, Nancy Arthur,  Yabah Yamikeh, Kwabena Adjei, Stanley Twum Barimah Columist Folio 48 amongst others.

Asawaa was the tea boy and was the one who was arrested in connection with the famous or infamous Statesman Tape saga that got Nana Addo an invitation to the BNI of those days.

To be continued.

Chief Akilu Sayibu

Powered by Froala Editor