How did our Chief of Staff go wrong with a supposed funeral donation

This week opened with the  name of the Chief of Staff at the Presidency, Frema Osei-Opare, being used as a chewing stick   in many circles  over  reports she has made a personal donation of an  amount of GHC50,000 to support the funeral of the late father of Radio and TV personality Valentina Agyeiwaa alias Afia Schwarzenegger.

Indeed, it was Afia herself who first mentioned on Sunday that ‘Frema Opare’ had given her the said amount.

For some reasons, the ‘Frema Opare’ in question was understood to mean the Chief of Staff, Frema Osei-Opare and it gained some credibility when as at Tuesday evening, her office had not denied the report which had appeared on the front pages of news papers and some credible online news sites.

What caught the attention of The New Publisher in the discussion was the fact that the Chief of Staff became a subject of verbal attacks, condemnation and plain insults for the act of charity for which she was being thanked by Afia.

How on earth a personal funeral donation can attract such level of insults and attacks to the benefactor  remain a wonder.

Some insist it is a politically incorrect move on the part of Frema Osei-Opare to have done the act of benevolence for Afia Schwarzenegger; exactly why, the critics did not explain.

It is a common and accepted Ghanaian customary practice for a bereaved person to receive donations, in cash, material or kind to support the funeral expenses.

Indeed, Afia Schwarzenegger, mentioned several other persons who supported her father’s funeral with amounts of money even higher than the GHC50,000 from the Chief of Staff.

Afia Schwarzenegger did not say the GHC50,000 was from state coffers. She did not say it was from government accounts. She said it was from Madam Frema Osei-Opare and that was it.

Is the argument being made that a person the pedigree of Frema Osei-Opare is incapable of supporting someone with an amount of GHC50,000?

That would be rather insulting to her person.

Or could  the argument be that Frema Osei-Opare, at the age of 73, needs the permission of someone before she gives financial support to whoever she wills?

Perhaps, the recipient of the act of charity from Frema Osei-Opare is what has irked  the critics. But why should it be so? The recipient, Afia Schwarzenegger, is a law-abiding Ghanaian citizen who pays her taxes and makes her contribution to the socio economic development of the country.

She may be very vocal with tough views she voices out in strong language, but, that does not disqualify her from being a law abiding Ghanaian citizen or someone the Chief of Staff should not support when her father is being buried.

It is almost certain that the persons insulting Frema Osei-Opare for the act of benevolence may have other motives other than how she got the money.

Not too long ago, the same Frema Osei-Opare suffered public insults when veteran actor, Psalm Adjeteyfio, disclosed on OKAY 101.7 FM that he had benefitted an amount of GHC40,000 from her as a financial support for his ill-health, expired tenancy and general lack of food and daily essentials for survival.

This same Frema Osei-Opare, very recently, was described by a section of the media as a notorious miser with an allergy for providing succor. The people complained bitterly and called on her to learn how to give.

The same Frema is mentioned publicly and thanked  by persons she has shown kindness and again the people are angry and complaining bitterly about her giving.

Ah well….