The secretly recorded tape, ethnicity and politics

The name of Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, which has been largely absent in the past six years surfaced with a vengeance in the Ghana media last week and the brouhaha over his alleged comments in a leaked tape recording may continue yet awhile. 

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) grandee and former cabinet minister in the Kufuor administration is reported to have bemoaned the fact that despite the bulk of Ghana’s wealth being produced in the five Akan regions, the country’s resources are being controlled by people from the other regions.

Mr Osafo-Maafo has issued a statement saying that the tape was doctored but has not denied that the voice on the tape is his, or that he did not say those words. 

Every indication is that the rather seasoned politician is under considerable pressure even from his own side. Some of his own party colleagues have come out openly to condemn the statement while others have done so but are hiding behind the caveat that “if it is true”.

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