Akufo-Addo told to ignore propaganda against GPHA boss

The private stevedore who has applauded President Akufo-Addo’s appointment and maintenance of Mr. Michael Luguje as the Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) is reporting that his praise has provoked jealousy in some quarters.

In a write-up, Mr. Anyidoho, who is also a professional diver reveals that following his commendation of the President and Mr. Luguje’s good works, he has received calls from unknown persons who are unhappy about his praise.

“A few people, especially detractors of government, have called me in private and expressed unhappiness over a simple piece of personal appreciation I wrote to express happiness about progress at the GPHA. They are not happy because the acknowledgement that I gave to the good works of Mr. Michael Luguje, they think it makes the government looks good, and they want the government to look bad. Because of this, they have virtually asked me to stop writing about the GPHA and its hardworking Director-General,” Mr. Anyidoho wrote.

He vowed however, never to stop writing good things “about good deeds of duty bearers who are doing well. It is not all the time that journalism must be about negative news.”

Mr. Anyidoho also used the opportunity to ask President Akufo-Addo to be alert for propaganda that is soon to start against Mr. Michael Luguje, “because from the flood of jealousy that my appreciation has provoked, some detractors who are not knowledgeable about the Port system are eyeing his job at the GPHA.”

Mr. Anyidoho had last week praised the President’s appointment and maintenance of Mr. Luguje as the head of the GPHA, pointing out that the man has transformed that state owned enterprise.

He points out that Mr. Luguje has since 2018, returned the GPHA to a path of profitability after the Authority declared a Ghc140million profit after tax.

He also praised Management’s handling of the MPS deal and its acquisition of new additional tugboats as part of an agenda to attract larger vessels to the Ports in Ghana.

Mr. Anyidoho had then recommended that President Akufo-Addo maintains Mr. Luguje and continue to give him the room to lead the Authority.

According to him, after a news report of his recommendations came out, some people contacted him and complained that his praise was adding too much shine on the credentials of the GPHA boss.

The persons behind this complain, he writes, are scheming a massive propaganda against Mr. Michael Luguje to make him unpopular to President Akufo-Addo but he urged the President to ignore any such propaganda.