4 Times Gabby Otchere-Darko Criticised "His Own People" For Actions That Put Akufo-Addo in Bad Light

Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko remains a strong force in the current administration of Nana Akufo-Addo although he is not a part of the government. He has fearlessly taken on top government officials anytime they act in ways he deems inappropriate. YEN.com.gh presents some of the instances he has criticised members of the government and top civil servants to protect the president.

Gabby Otchere-Darko is being bashed presently for criticising former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo's decision to join a protest against the government's Domestic Debt Exchange (DDE).

But this is not the first time Otchere-Darko has found himself in the uncomfortable corner of public bashing.

The founder of the Danquah Institute, a think tank that champions the principles and beliefs of the NPP, has never relented in efforts to forcefully protect the image of his cousin, President Nana Akufo-Addo, and his government.

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If a minister in Akufo-Addo's government, a civil servant, a civil society group or the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) expresses a critical opinion about the president and his government, trust Otchere-Darko to deliver a single tweet or a series of tweets to counter those criticisms.

But in a country where politics is characterised by speaking out against only people or groups not affiliated with your party, Otchere-Darko takes a marked detour.

Gabby, a lawyer by profession, has been consistent in publicly taking on people in his party and in government. It doesn't matter if it's the minister of finance who makes a comment that suggests Akufo-Addo 's free SHS was not properly thought through, Gabby will take to Twitter to slam him.

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Gabby Otchere-Darko, nicknamed the "prime minister" in some circles, has been doing this since 2018. Those who call him the prime minister believe his pronouncements on any issue in the current government usually becomes the express position of the government.

In this listicle, YEN.com.gh goes back in time to bring back instances Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko has slammed Akufo-Addo government appointees and party folks for their comments or actions.

1. Gabby Otchere-Darko condemns Ken Ofori-Atta over free SHS comment

In 2018, Otchere-Darko countered finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta's suggestion that parents who are willing and able to pay the fees their wards in Senior High School be made to pay.

The finance minister's point was that the policy that helped to win power for the NPP in 2016 should be reviewed because it had become too costly to maintain.

Ken Ofori-Atta made the following famous comments:

"I can’t take my child to Achimota or Ordogonnor and then leave him or her and drive away and Ken Ofori-Atta not pay anything while I can pay for 10 people. You need to be able to get the data to then be discriminatory in how and who pays and who doesn’t pay."

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Although others had expressed similar sentiments, it was Gabby Otchere-Darko, and not the free SHS secretariat, who replied the finance minister.

"NPP was elected on a platform of free SHS for all and that’s what it is and will be," he said on Facebook before adding that the debate over concerns should continue.

2. Gabby called Professor Attafuah "unwise" for saying he won't recruit NPP loyalists

In 2022, Otchere-Darko descended heavily on the Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority, Professor Ken Attafuah for saying he would not recruit NPP loyalists into the NIA.

Prof Attafuah had explained during a radio interview that president Akufo-Addo charged him to ensure that no party executives are hired en masse to the authority to keep it neutral and professional.

The comment by Prof Attafuah was deemed a betrayal by some NPP loyalists.

Then Gabby struck. He took to Facebook to describe the comments by the respected civil servant as reckless and selfish.

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"Very unwise, and some may even say selfish, considering he lost this same job when NPP lost in 2008 only to regain it after NPP regained office! At least, his memory and self-benefit ought to have even guided his tongue and stopped him from speaking out of turn," he posted.

3. Gabby clashed with Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu over campaign to sack Ofori-Atta

In December last year, Otchere-Darko was alleged to have said during a radio interview that Majority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu was behind the push to sack Ken Ofori-Atta from the finance ministry.

The allegations resulted in a media spat between the two party affiliates.

But Otchere-Darko maintained that he had never made that comment on any radio station or media house.

He also disputed claims that he had sponsored a failed candidate against Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu in the NPP Suame parliamentary primary leading to the 2016 general elections.

The matter eventually died down as reconciliatory photos of the two people hit online.

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But to many, all the allegations against Gabby were not far-fetched because he could have called out the Majority leader over the calls to remove the finance if he had the conviction to do so.

4. Gabby calls Sophia Akuffo clueless for joining pensioner bondholders' protests

Then on Sunday, February 12, 2023, Otchere-Darko took to Twitter to express disappointment in the decision by former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo to join protests by pensioner bondholders.

Gabby explained that, to his mind, the retired legal luminary did not understand the issues before joining the protesters who are demanding the exclusion of their investments from the debt exchange.

According to Otchere-Darko, the finance ministry or government was not forcing any individual bondholder to join the programme.

But the former Supreme Court judge clapped back at the outspoken NPP stalwart, describing him as a mere disturbance in national discussions.

Gabby Otchere-Darko's locus in his cousin's government is quite baffling. While he is not a member of the government, he wields so much influence. Whether his outspoken nature serves a parochial or national interest, the soft power he wields in the Nana Akufo-Addo administration is worthy of study by political scientists.

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Sophia Akuffo describes Gabby as a "disturbance"

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh has reported in a separate story that former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo slammed Gabby Otchere-Darko on Tuesday, February 14 for criticising her decision to join protests by pensioner bondholders.

The retired Chief Justice told the media at the finance ministry that the founder of Danquah Institute was a mere disturbance.

She said Otchere-Darko's comments were of no value to her and her personal decisions.

Source: YEN.com.gh