The Independent newspaper says there is bad blood between President John Agyekum Kufuor and his one-time "darling boy," out-going Minister for Public Sector Reform, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom.

The two were said to have been locked up in a big fight that finally culminated in the President giving Dr. Nduom, what could best be termed a stab in the back by officially indicating to the latter that he (President) would not be able to attend the 2nd national celebration of Public Services Week.

According to the paper, the president, in that circumstance, urged the out-going Public Sector Minister to cancel the programme scheduled to take place between July 16 and 22, 2007.

The paper said its investigations uncovered the unbelievable fact that there is currently bad blood between the two, to the extent that one may not be able to predict the outcome if the two men met face to face, hence the decision by the president to cancel the celebration.

The paper also said it gathered that the president is still bristling from the public backlash when it was reported that he had relieved Dr. Nduom of his position as the Public Sector Reform minister. Many were those who expressed indignation at the report of the President's action.

Discreet sources in the Office of the President hinted the paper that the decision to relieve Dr. Nduom of his post were hatched and delivered by the office of the Chief Advisor to the President with the connivance of hawkish elements in the high office.

A source close to the Public Sector Ministry told The Independent that, relaying the message by one of his aides “was a ploy by the president to avoid meeting Dr. Nduom, since the two are now on bad terms and have consequently fallen apart bitterly.”

The paper said President Kufuor passed his information for the cancellation of the programme through one of his aides, who called Dr. Nduom on the phone to relay to him the presidential order.

The aide is said to have told Dr. Nduom's Ministry that, the President cannot attend the programme so you will have to cancel the entire celebration.

According to The Independent, several billions of cedis have been spent to print and acquire materials and other paraphernalia, including caps, T-shirts, souvenirs and cloth for the occasion, while invitation letters have already been dispatched to Ambassadors, diplomats, and other dignitaries.

Jingles and other adverts have also been running in the media, all in preparation for the celebration of the 2nd Public Services week.

Few political analysts, with inside information who spoke to the paper on condition of anonymity confirmed the fact that the cancellation is due to the fact that President Kufuor does not want to meet the out-going Minister for Public Sector Reform, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom.

But they questioned the rationale behind the outright cancellation and added that the president could have delegated Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama or the Chief of Staff and Minister for Presidential Affairs, Mr. Kwadwo Mpiani to deputise for him.

"Why do we allow such millions of cedis spent to prepare for the celebration to go down the drain," a source at the Ministry lamented when reached to comment on the rather unexpected development.

The Ministry on June 23, 2007 organised a float to raise public awareness of the impending public services week celebration.

Source: The Independent