Former world champion David Kotei has expressed optimism about President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s promise of looking into the case where the state possibly owed him.
In an audio recording expressing his gratitude to the president, Ghana’s first world champion was hopeful that after unsuccessful attempts to get different regimes to repay his loan to the nation, the matter will finally be put to bed by the current administration.
“President Akufo-Addo, I’m grateful to you at your kind response to my plight. You promised to look into my affair and I’m hopeful a favourable result will come out of it,” he said.
Last month, the President assured the boxing great he would look into the matter when he met a delegation led by ace sports journalist Ekow Asmah, whose book, ‘Ghana Boxing: Celebration of Our Champions’ was endorsed by President Akufo-Addo.
He further instructed the Sports Minister, Isaac Asiamah, to reconcile documentations of the claim with Kotei’s former counsel and current president of the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) Peter Zwennes, to find an amiable conclusion.
Earlier at the launch of the book, DK Poison decried the failure of the State, over the years, to reimburse him $45,000 of his $75,000 purse in his second defence of his world featherweight title against Shige Fukuyama, in Tokyo, in 1976.
According to DK Poison, the $45,000 was borrowed by the state to import mackerel into the country during the reign of the late Head of State, Gen. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong.
The move was an emergency measure adopted at the time to restore calm in the face of growing economic hardship encountered by his compatriots.
BY NANA BENTSI ODURO
