PRESIDENT MILLS FOCUSING ON GOOD GOVERNANCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ACCRA 000328 E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2024 TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON SNAR GH SUBJECT: PRESIDENT MILLS FOCUSING ON GOOD GOVERNANCE REF: ACCRA 263 Classified By: AMBASSADOR DONALD TEITELBAUM FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. During a one-on-one meeting on April 2, President Mills emphasized his intent to govern Ghana within the law and to stand up to any pressure (read: Jerry Rawlings) to do otherwise. He expressed his strong support for the formation of an anti-narcotics "vetted unit" in cooperation with the USG. Conversation also briefly touched on development of Ghana's oil resources, and the roles of former Presidents Rawlings and Kufuor. END SUMMARY. COUNTERNARCOTICS VETTED UNIT -------------- ¶2. (C) I called on President Mills on the afternoon of April 2 for a brief tour d'horizon. I had specified that I was not bringing a notetaker. President Mills, taking the hint, met with me alone. One of the reasons I wanted to meet with President Mills alone was to discuss the formation of a vetted counternarcotics unit. Although I was confident that Mills would support the concept of such a unit, it is not clear to me that he has full confidence in all elements of his law enforcement and security apparatus, particularly regarding highly sensitive issues. I explained our proposal of an elite counternarcotics unit composed of 25 - 40 personnel. Joint vetting (to include polygraph testing, among other steps) would give the USG the confidence that would allow us to provide a level of training and support that would not otherwise be possible. The vetting process should also give the Government of Ghana the confidence to support the unit and its results wholeheartedly. The end result of an elite counternarcotics unit would be a unique tool that would serve our shared interest of effectively combating narcotics trafficking. Mills immediately expressed his strong support for the concept. I then asked for his views on where the unit should be placed, suggesting that once he had considered this key issue, we could discuss the details of the joint vetting process. Mills told me that he would consider the matter and that he would probably want to convey his decision to me personally. GOOD GOVERNANCE -------------- ¶3. (C) Mills also took the opportunity of a solo meeting to vent his frustrations at the pressures he is feeling from factionalization from within his own party (septel). Clearly referring to criticisms from former President Jerry Rawlings that he is not moving harshly enough against members of the former government, he stated that there are those who want him to act rashly or illegally. He then vehemently insisted that "I will not act on the basis of mere allegations and rumors. I will act on the basis of the law." He declared that "I am the President; I am a lawyer and will follow legal procedures. I will not engage in witch hunts." He then added that those who break the law will face justice, but he would rather see some guilty people go unpunished than see the justice system misused to unjustly punish the innocent. I told him that he was absolutely correct to emphasize the primacy of rule of law and the use of the legal system. DEVELOPMENT OF OIL RESOURCES -------------- ¶3. (C) Post's contacts in the oil industry have expressed concern about the slow pace of negotiations with the Ghana National Petroleum Company (GNPC). They have noted that continued delays, particularly in reaching an agreement on the Jubilee Field Plan of Development (POD),put at risk their ability to begin production by the end of 2010. I started by observing that I had full faith and confidence in the American companies investing in the Ghanaian oil industry, particularly because of our Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. I noted that I had encouraged the new Government of Ghana to exercise due diligence regarding the oil deal because I was confident that American companies would stand up to the most intense scrutiny. I also noted that the details of an agreement are for Ghana to negotiate with its partners. That said, however, it appeared that there are some conflicting priorities on the Ghanaian side. I noted that the Minister of Finance was focused on fast tracking the project and clearly counting on oil revenue in the near future . GNPC and some others, on the other hand, are moving very slowly on the negotiation of the POD, acting as if they have plenty of time to argue over every minor detail and making new demands at a fairly late stage of the negotiation. I expressed my hope that the GNPC is fully disclosing to the President and the Ministry of Finance the ramifications of some of its positions, i.e. that they may sacrifice the GOG's plan for production by the end of 2010, so that the GOG can make well-informed decisions in their own best interests. THE ROLE OF FORMER PRESIDENTS -------------- ¶4. (C) I observed that the very generous financial package approved for President Kufuor (Reftel) prompted controversy in Ghana. I said that, although there are many countries in Africa where people would be only too happy if their President would retire in exchange for a few million dollars, the issue is fundamentally one for Ghanaians. I was concerned, though, about threats by Ga youth groups to blockade former President Kufuor's office if he continued to use it. I pointed out that if the Ghanaian Government feels his use of the office is improper or illegal, they can take legal or administrative action, but that allowing unruly youths to harass or even threaten a former, democratically elected President would set a very negative precedent. Mills agreed that the Ga threats were inappropriate, and hastily added that he had nothing to do with them. He stated that they had been provoked by inaccurate statements by Kufuor's own spokesman implying that he had purchased the government-owned property, leading to rumors that he had been given a sweetheart deal. Once it had become clear that he did not have ownership of the property, the issue had largely disappeared. ¶5. (C) Since we were discussing former Presidents, and Mills had already previously alluded to Rawlings, I suggested that President Rawlings (and President Kufuor) should be dispatched to play more of a role outside Ghana. I noted that President George W. Bush, for example, had tapped both President Clinton and President George H.W. Bush to lead a private relief effort after the 2004 tsunami. As a former military man who had accepted the primacy of civilian, constitutional rule, for example, I suggested that Rawlings might be an effective envoy for ECOWAS in a country like Guinea. MILLS' HEALTH -------------- ¶6. (C) Despite rumors of illness, Mills appeared healthy. During our 20-minute conversation he was comfortable, energetic, and mentally sharp. He looked better than he had during the election campaign (the grueling road-based campaign clearly sapped his energy). I am not a doctor and cannot categorically deny any of the many rumors that are floating around, but if Mills is dying, he appears to be unaware of the fact. The only sign of deteriorating health that I have noticed is that his speech notes during his State of the Nation address used very large print. He also appears to be giving a very substantive role to the Vice President. It is possible that Mills is doing this to conserve limited energy. On the other hand, it may also be that as a former Vice President he wants to make full use of the office. I will keep an eye on his appearances and note any visible deterioriation in his health. COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (C) I remain impressed with President Mills. He is living up to his reputation as a serious, hardworking, incorruptible technocrat who is deeply committed to democracy. I have been especially pleased to see him express a strong personal commitment to fighting narcotics trafficking. Sadly, he is also living up to his reputation as being stolid and quietly competent in a country where flamboyancy and assertiveness attract many voters. He is facing challenges from within his own party, but it is not yet clear how hard he will push back. TEITELBAUM