I have been closely following in these pages, and indeed breaking, the story of Edward Akufo-Addo, the brother of the president of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo. Edward, who is known as “Bumpty,” has allegedly helped Russian energy companies win sweetheart deals in his home country.
I’m not going to rehash the entire fascinating story here but you can get the basics by clicking this link and reading my last installment.
Today I merely wish to report that Bumpty has been creating more problems for himself and his brother, according to a well placed source, by publicly stating to those who’ll listen that he’s not to blame for any of the bad publicity the president is getting.
According to Bumpty, this source says, he didn’t go looking for a role in the lucrative oil and gas deals with Russian companies on his own, he was deputized by his family to do it. So if there’s been any negative PR fallout, and indeed there has, he’s innocent.
Bumpty doesn’t seem to understand that this additional information not only doesn’t make him look any better, it makes his family, and specifically his brother the president, look worse. Because if his entire family authorized him to get involved in these rather dubious deals, that points a finger right at the president himself.
Why? Because no one in his family, save his brother, has the power that would make Bumpty an attractive partner for Russian oil companies. Indeed, the only other person in the entire country who might have that type of power is the minister of finance, so Bumpty’s public utterances have thrown a perhaps unfair shadow on him as well.
Anyway, I am, as I stated above, closely following the story and will report back soon. Bumpty has told me that he views my “constant questioning…on matters of which I have nothing whatsoever to do with as harassment” and that he will decline further comment.
