The innards of a public servant

‘MILLS’ MINISTER’ DAMAGED GOODS

The forensic audit report commissioned by Auditor General damns

Posted: The Chronicle Wednesday, February 18, 2009

By Charles Takyi-Boadu

Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, Minister designate for Foreign AffairsDetails of an audit report commissioned by the Auditor General and obtained from the House of Parliament last week, contain a horrific account of the underbelly of a man who has just been nominated as the Foreign Minister by President Mills.
It is so loaded with bile that Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, who is expected to be representing Ghana as the embodiment of this proud and beautiful Republic, cannot hold himself out without legally extricating himself from any wrong doing.
The report was completed nearly five years ago, and there has been no valid exonerating counter report.
The forensic audit report into the activities and operations of the National Vocational and Training Institute (NVTI), between the period of January 1997 to December 2002, which has been the subject matter of a raging controversy over whether or not Parliament should approve the nomination of Alhaji Muhammed Mumuni as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, makes damning findings against the President’s nominee.
The audit, which was conducted by Messrs. Baffuor Awuah and Associates at the instance of the Auditor-General of the Republic, concluded that “the use of the NVTI as a conduit for siphoning an amount of over ¢19.6 billion (old cedis) of government funds to known and unknown persons, through huge and fraudulent payments to companies and enterprises as well as a number of individuals, is tantamount to ‘money laundering’ in some cases.”
The report made specific findings against Alhaji Muhammed Mumuni, who was by then the Minister in Charge of Employment and Social Welfare, and his other colleagues including the late Victor Selormey, who was by then the Deputy Minister of Finance and the former Controller and Accountant-General, R.K Tuffuor.
It noted that the acts of omissions and commissions perpetrated by the former Minister and his colleagues in the release of an amount of ¢19 billion (old cedis) to the Director of NVTI “did not only result in a financial loss to the state of over ¢15 billion, being total amount fraudulently paid out of the sum of ¢19 billion to private companies and individuals for goods not supplied or services not rendered, but also constitutes misconduct and gross negligence under the provisions of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.”
These provisions were detailed in the Audit Service Decree, 1997 (N.C.R.D 49), the Audit Service Act 2000, Act 584 and the Financial Administration Regulations, 1997 LI 1234.
In the course of its investigations, the auditors uncovered that between the period of October 1999 and September 2000 alone, a total amount of ¢19 billion was released to NVTI outside their budgetary allocation from the Ministry of Finance.
The auditors said they could confirm that ¢13 billion out of the said ¢19 billion was at the request of Alhaji Muhammed Mumuni and authorised by Victor Selormey.
Out of this amount ¢11 billion was said to have been paid into NVTI’s operating bank account at the Bank of Ghana, whilst the remaining “was fraudulently transferred into an undisclosed account, operated by Dr. Michael Yaw Boateng, the interdicted Director of NVTI and Emmanuel Jack Animi, former Chief Accountant at the NVTI.”
Meanwhile, the ¢19 billion, which was allegedly meant for the purchase of equipment for NVTI centres, was released without Parliamentary approval or any other proper authority.
The auditors, therefore, noted that the action constituted what it described as ‘ultra vires’, stressing that “it is significant to note that for the two year period, the total approved annual budget for the institute was ¢6.629 billion.” Out of this amount, only ¢225 million was said to have been approved for purchase of plant and equipment.
The report further indicated that at the request of Alhaji Mumuni, two identical letters, dated 20th March and 29th August 2000, ¢10.1 billion and ¢10.05 billion respectively were issued for the same purpose; to equip NVTI centres and addressed them to the then Minister of Finance.
As a result of these two letters, the auditors noted that “amounts of ¢5 billion and ¢8billion respectively were released under the authority of Victor Selormey, the then Deputy Minister of Finance to the Director of NVTI, although in 1999 ¢6 billion had been released for the same purpose.
Out of the ¢5 billion released in March 2000, the report noted that a total amount of over ¢2.12 billion was fraudulently paid to suppliers for goods they did not supply to the institute.
Further checks by the auditors revealed that about ¢7.86 billion out of the ¢8 billion in September 2000 was misappropriated.
“One would have expected that both releases should not have exceeded ¢10.1 billion as the request was for the same purpose. It is also intriguing why the Minister within a period of 4 months made request for over ¢20 billion towards the end of the financial year, especially when the NVTI’’s total budget for the year was only ¢3.99 billion”, the auditors emphasised.
Meanwhile, an amount of ¢6 billion had been released for the same purpose in 1999.
The auditors thus established that “none of the funds released went to support the programmes that the former Minister had mentioned in both letters”, stressing that “it is also puzzling that the Minister would use the same reasons to request for funds and yet did not verify the use of the earlier releases of ¢6 billion and ¢5 billion to the NVTI.”
That notwithstanding, the auditors found something unusual about the two letters since in both cases, the letters signed by Victor Selormey for the release of funds were done in a matter of 24 hours of request, saying “it is equally important to note that; the NVTI also disbursed the funds in a matter of weeks of all the releases for fraudulent purposes that did not meet the objectives of the request by the Minister.”
It therefore noted that “the two former Ministers, Alhaji Muhammed Mumuni and Victor Selormey who facilitated the releases of these funds to NVTI in contravention of the Financial Administration Regulations (LI 1234) contributed to the perpetration of fraud.”
In the final analysis, the auditors noted that Muhammed Mumuni and his colleagues be held jointly and severally accountable for the recovery of the total financial loss of ¢5,750,762,300 billion.
Mumuni was accused of apparently causing the release of an amount of ¢6 billion in 1999 to NVTI, out of which ¢5,750,762,300 billion was fraudulently paid to suppliers for goods they did not deliver to the institute.
The auditors also accused him of failing to ensure that the ¢6 billion released to NVTI under his authority was disbursed for the purpose for which it was intended for, and for causing the release of ¢6 billion to NVTI without the approval of Parliament nor any other proper authority, and for equipment for which the approved budget was only ¢100 million.
Meanwhile, the President’s nominee, Alhaji Muhammed Mumuni has described the report in question as a dodgy instrument, which has been purely manufactured for the purposes of prosecuting political vendetta.
In an interview with The Chronicle, he noted that there was no way he could accept the document as an Auditor-General’s report, since according to him, it has not been properly tabled before Parliament as an institution.
He quoted Article 187 of the 1992 Constitution and the Audit Service Act to support his claim, stressing “it is very clear, that when the Auditor-General does any audit inspection, his report is published when he transmits it to Parliament and the Speaker of Parliament.”
When it is laid in the House, he noted that it is then referred to the Public Accounts Committee where any person whose adverse findings are made against is invited to defend himself.
At the end of it, he emphasised that the Committee will publish a report, which will also be laid in Parliament for a debate on the floor before it prescribes a solution, whether people should be prosecuted or made to refund whatever losses they might have caused the nation in the line of duty. For this reason, he noted that the document was a dodgy instrument.
Both the Minority leader, Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu and the First Deputy Speaker and chairman of the Appointments Committee, Hon. Doe Adjaho refused to comment on the report as to whether it could block the chances of the nominee. Adjaho, however, said that if a nominee does not breach any of the qualifications to enter parliament or public office, the Committee might approve him or her.
The Chronicle will soon start serialising the report. Stay tuned

NDC chairman condemns seizure of toilets

… By supporters
Posted: The Chronicle Tuesday, February 17, 2009
By Charles Takyi-Boadu

The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) has condemned the actions of some of its supporters who have virtually taken the law into their own hands by harassing people since the party won the elections.
Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the party, Mr. Daniel Anang has asked supporters of the party who are involved in such acts of victimisation against people perceived to be members or supporters of the previous governing party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), especially those in charge of public facilities, like toilets.
In an interview with this reporter, he expressed grave concern about the ongoing development and appealed to their supporters to allow the laws of the land to take its course.
“To be truthful to you, when we talk about the public toilets, what has happened so far and from what I’ve heard so far, that our people are just taking over and beating people up, I don’t think I’m happy with it”, he emphasised.
For him, “it is the worse form of take-over that I will want any NDC person to do.” According to him, a few of the constituencies are aware of his stand on the issue.
That notwithstanding, he noted that the NDC as a party has come out to caution members against any such acts, in order to allow for further scrutiny into the activities and operations of most of these public facilities.
After filling all the positions of Chief Executive of Public corporations and assemblies, he noted that they will take a closer look at it, so that when it is necessary for a take-over, they will do it without delay.
“So going to take-over toilets by force doesn’t do anyone any good, I think I’m not happy with what is happening and some of my people know my stand”, he noted.
He noted that he was the first to speak against some of these incidents of take-over of public toilet facilities when they occurred in places like Nima and Ashaiman, all suburbs of Accra.
The Regional Chairman of the NDC advised members and supporters of the party who are involved in such acts to desist from doing so, since it has the tendency of affecting the image of the party.
Whilst appreciating the reasons given by some of their supporters for seizing these toilet facilities, in that they were running them until the NPP took power in the year 2001, Mr. Anang noted that it was not the best of practices, saying “you don’t pay evil for evil, you don’t have to do that.”
For him, those involved should look at the leader of the party before going to carry out some of these actions, since he is a man of peace and deplores elements of violence.
Though he conceded that it might be a form of employment for some of them, he asked the supporters to allow government to look at the existing agreements between government and those running these public toilet facilities, so that the transfer of the facilities will be done with some sense of civility.

Asaga's Ex-Gratia Case Lingers On

Posted: The Chronicle Wednesday, February 11, 2009

By Charles Takyi-Boadu

The sudden decision by President John Evans Atta Mills to withdraw the nomination of the Member of Parliament (MP) for Talensi-Nabdam constituency, Hon. Moses Asaga to the position of Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing has sparked a heated debate across the length and breadth of the country.
This issue has generated a huge public outcry in which members of the general public and some social commentators have raised issues with the President's decision.
Whilst some believe that the constitution of the Republic guarantees the President the prerogative and discretionary powers to hire and fire any person at any point in time, others believe that he should not resort to the arbitrary use of the discretionary powers vested in him. Instead, they believe that he owes the good people of Ghana the responsibility to explain certain decisions that he has taken at certain times, to show the commitment of his pledge to run an open and transparent government.
Though no statement has been made by the office of the President to offer any explanation as to the circumstances surrounding the President's sudden decision to withdraw Mr. Asaga's nomination, it is widely speculated and believed that it might be due to the payment of the ex-gratia to former Presidents and MPs as contained in the recommendations of the controversial Chinnery-Hesse report.
Mr. Asaga is reported to have single-handedly authorised the payment of an amount of over US $20 million into the accounts of the beneficiaries without the consent and knowledge of either the President or his other colleagues on the three-member Transitional team on Finance, headed by Togbe Afede.
Others also believe his withdrawal had something to do with the battering of his wife sometime ago -an issue which raised questions over the credibility of Mr. Asaga as a 'Honourable' Member of the country's Parliament.
The Editors-in-Chief of the Daily Searchlight newspaper, Kenneth Agyei-Korankye and that of The Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., have articulated divergent views on the issue in contention.
Speaking on Peace FM's Kokrokoo Morning show programme yesterday, the two individuals made their positions clear on the matter.
Whilst Ken admits that the constitution guarantees the President the liberty to fire and hire any individual or group of persons, he also stressed the need for him to stick to the promise he made to the teeming Ghanaian populace during his political campaign and at his swearing in ceremony to run an open and transparency.
By this promise, he noted that the President has a responsibility to give reasons why he decided to revoke the nomination of Mr. Asaga.
On his part, Mr. Pratt noted that the President owes nobody an explanation as to what might have informed his decision to withdraw the nomination of Mr. Asaga, since the constitution grants him the power to fire and hire at will.
That notwithstanding, he noted that it is incumbent on the President to remain committed to the promises he made to Ghanaians, which includes running an open and transparent government. In any case, he noted that there is nothing wrong with the President's action since it falls within the ambit of the law.
Other members of the public including callers to radio stations who are following the debate with keen attention also share similar concerns.
The public appears to be divided over the subject of whether or not indeed the President owes it a duty and responsibility to explain his actions and decisions to the public, considering his avowed commitment to run an open and transparent government.
Moses Asaga's nomination as Minister-designate for Water Resources, Works and Housing was withdrawn last week Friday by President Mills.
This was contained in a statement signed and issued by Presidential Spokesperson, Mahama Ayariga in which no reason(s) were assigned.

Doctors alarmed at spate of kidney failures

Posted: The Chronicle Thursday, February 12, 2009
By Charles Takyi-Boadu

Doctors in the country are alarmed at the increasing spate of kidney-related cases, especially among the youth. They have thus advised Ghanaians to cultivate good eating habits, and exercise regularly to avoid catching kidney-related diseases.
A Physician and Nephrologist (kidney expert) at the Department of Medicine, at the nation’s premier Hospital, the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Dr. Charlotte Osafo, stressed the urgent need for Ghanaians to put an end to eating fatty foods, which have the tendency of increasing one’s susceptibility to risk.
Available statistics on renal cases (kidney related) at Korle-Bu, between the periods of January 2006 to July 2008, have it that there were 558 reported cases, with 143 being females and 415 males.
Most doctors believe that most kidney-related cases are not reported to hospital, for reason that they are attributed to witchcraft, hence the majority of those who contract it resort to spiritual healing and herbal medicines for treatment.
Unfortunately, only 38 people out of the total number of reported cases were able to afford treatment for the disease, while 123, who could not afford the treatment, died in the process.
The huge cost involved in treating kidney-related diseases, be it acute or chronic, is what has compelled doctors to warn the populace on further complications.
That notwithstanding, a person diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, must be subjected to three times of dialysis, between four to five hours a week, to sustain his or her life.
Dr. Osafo said treatments cannot cure kidney failure, but can improve health and prolong thhe life of the patient.
When the kidneys are damaged, and are not able to fulfill the process of filtering the blood, action must be taken. The cost of running dialysis on each session, cost not less than GH¢140 (¢1.4 million old cedis).
In that regard, the cost of sustaining a patient with chronic kidney-related diseases on dialysis, excludes his or her medications, and drugs.
Meanwhile, the only way available for a kidney patient, is through a transplant, which costs almost GH¢100,000 (¢1 billion old cedis).
At the moment, there are only five units in the country that can treat kidney-related ilnesses. They are, the Department of Medicine at Korle-Bu, National Cardiothoracic Centre, also at Korle-Bu, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, Peace and Love Hospital also in Kumasi, and the Central Regional Hospital in Cape Coast.
According to Dr. Osafo, the commonest causes of kidney failure, are diabetes, high blood pressure and a painless inflammation of the kidneys called ‘glomerulonephritis,’ which involves a progressive loss of the filtering units (nephrons) in the kidney.
She mentioned other common causes as including inherited condition of cycles in the kidneys (polycystic kidney disease), repeated kidney infections or kidney infections (pyelonephritis) in childhood, and obstruction to the urine flow, not forgetting excessive indulgence and use of drugs and alcohol.
She, however, noted that renal failure (kidney failure) was not an infectious disease.
According to her, the nature of the disease was such that it could happen to anyone at any age, and any point in time. Available information has it that chronic kidney failure is a serious, long term medical condition.
Currently, kidney transplants are performed in the United Kingdom every year.
Last year, 370,000 people in the United States were put on dialysis, with 15,000 receiving organ transplants, whilst 88,000 were waiting to receive organ transplant.
In that country, eight people die everyday waiting for organ transplants.
It is in this light that the National Kidney Foundation (NAKID) will be organising a free screening exercise, at the Makola market in Accra on March 12, this year, which is slated for the World Kidney Day celebration, for members of the public to check their status and susceptibility to kidney-related diseases.
The foundation would also embark on a float, through the principal streets of Accra on the same day, to sensitise people to keep a healthy life and good eating habits.

Maame Dokono in Police Dragnet

Posted: The Chronicle February 6, 2009
By Charles Takyi-Boadu

Ace actress and gender advocate, Grace Omaboe, a.k.a Maame Dokono, was yesterday arrested by the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, following a sodomy incident, which occurred at her orphanage, Peace and Love, at Adenta, a suburb of Accra, about two weeks ago.
There were heated exchanges between the actress, and the police personnel, who went to the orphanage and wanted to whisk her away. She resisted arrest, amidst tears, insisting she had to first see her lawyer. She later reported herself to the police, in the company of her lawyer.
Sympathisers, including the likes of ace actor and presenter Amankwaa Ampofo, Prince Yawson a.k.a 'Waakye of Akan drama fame, and Nana Fredua Agyemang, a staunch New Patriotic Party (NPP) supporter and social commentator, were also the offices of the DOVVSU with their colleagues.
She was later released on bail, after hours of closed-door meetings between her lawyers, represented by Joyce Attafuah of Kulendi@law Chambers, and the Regional Coordinator of the DOVVSU.
It all began, when an 8 year old boy was alleged to have sodomised a six month old baby at the Peace and Love Orphanage, which is owned by Maame Dokono, about two weeks ago, at a time she (Maame Dokono) was said to be receiving medical treatment in Holland.
This led to the removal of some of the orphans from the orphanage, by the officials of the Department of Social Welfare.
The Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit of the Police said the action was meant to protect the inmates of the orphanage.
That notwithstanding, the Public Relations Officer of DOVVSU, Chief Inspector Irene Oppong, told The Chronicle that Maame Dokono was operating the orphanage illegally, because her Certificate of Recognition had long expired, since 2006.
According to her, the license of the orphanage expired in March 2006, and had since not been renewed.
Maame Dokono used to be a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and a staunch activist of the 31st December Women's Movement, until she crossed carpet to the NPP before the just-ended elections, which saw the NPP's defeat.
She thus believes she is suffering this fate, because of her decision to throw her weight behind the NPP and Nana Akufo Addo.
If what the police are saying is anything to go by, then Maame Dokono would likely be charged with for a criminal offence, since under the provisions of the country's criminal code, a person under 12 years cannot be charged with a criminal offence, but rather the parent or guardian of the child.
Later in the day, over 200 NPP supporters, led by former National Women's Organiser of the NDC and now NPP stalwart, Frances Essiam, besieged the offices of the DOVVSU to protest against what they considered to be unfair treatment being meted out to Maame Dokono.
They accused the NDC government of politically motivating the arrest.
They, therefore, noted that they would not sit in laxity for the NDC to take the law into its own hands.
At press time yesterday, she was said to be in a crunch meeting with executives of the NPP at the party's headquarters in Accra, discussing the next line of action to be taken.
Madam Grace Omaboe was a vocal member of the Nana Addo campaign team in the run up to the December elections, and was reported to have, on numerous occasions, spoken ill of the members of the present government, which was then in opposition.

As Majority Leader overrules questions on malfeasance

MUMUNI SPARKS A WALK-OUT

Posted: The Chronicle Tuesday, February 10, 2009

By Charles Takyi-Boadu

The coming event of Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni’s stormy experience in Parliament, cast their shadows long before he took his seat to be vetted yesterday, and walked straight into a sea of controversy, which ended with the Minority Leader leading a boycott, by members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), of the process.
It started when the issue of a forensic audit report, commissioned by Messrs, Baffuor Awuah and Associates at the instance of the Auditor-General, which was tabled by a group calling itself Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) popped up.
The group had petitioned the Appointments Committee to disqualify the President’s nominee for the position of Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Alhaji Mumuni, on the basis of the findings of the report, which implicated him during his term of office as Minister of Education, during the Jerry Rawlings former NDC government.
For more than an hour, members of the Committee engaged in a heated debate, over whether or not it was prudent for the nominee to be vetted on a controversial forensic audit report, commissioned by Messrs. Baffuor Awuah and Associates at the instance of the Auditor-General, which is currently pending before the law courts.
Each and every member of the committee made a convincing argument on the subject to back their position.
Though the issue in contention was in court and pending a ruling, the nominee said he would avail himself for questioning, if the members thought it wise to do so.
Considering the fact that the Standing Orders of Parliament does not allow issues in court to discussed on the floor, virtually all members of the committee stressed on the need to be circumspect in the line of questioning, in order not prejudice the court proceedings, in which Alhaji Iddrisu is seeking to quash the findings of the report.
Whilst admitting that the issues in contention were grave, and that he would have been happy if they proceeding were held in-camera, the Minority Leader and MP for the Tafo-Suame constituency, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, said “the issues raised are relevant.”
He, therefore, stressed the need for further probing into the matter, by asking the nominee certain pertinent questions for him to answer.
After listening to the various submissions of the members, the Chairman of the Committee and MP for Ave-Avenor, Edward Doe Adjaho, ruled for the nominee to be vetted without asking questions bordering on the issue in contention.
His reason was that the report in question, had not been properly tabled before Parliament as an institution, hence could not be admitted in evidence as a credible supporting document.
But the Minority Leader, who disagreed with the Chairman’s ruling, quoted sections of the Standing Orders of Parliament and that of the Appointments Committee, citing Order 91 and 93 to back his claim.
But the Chairman stood his grounds, giving an indication that his ruling stood and nothing more.
At this stage, the MP for Adansi-Asokwa, K. T. Hammond, who disagreed with the Chairman on his ruling, got to his feet, with his documents in hand, and attempted to leave, but was convinced by the Minority Leader to sit down.
Matters turned worse, when the Chairman of the Committee, again, overruled the Minority Leader’s submission.
This compelled Hon. Kyei Mensah-Bonsu to describe the ruling as nothing but ‘whimsical and capricious’, shouting “your ruling on this matter is bogus, and of no effect.”
He then rose to his feet, and signaled his other colleagues in the Minority to boycott the vetting of Alhaji Mumuni.
Not even the pleadings of members on the other side of the House could make the Minority back down on their decision to boycott Mumuni’s vetting process.
In the heat of events, the MP for Sene constituency, Felix Twumasi Appiah, was compelled to make a submission that a precedent was set during the vetting of the former Roads and Transport Minister, Dr. Richard Anane, sometime ago.
During Anane’s vetting, Hon. Twumasi Appiah noted that a similar issue arose, in which it was agreed that considering the nature and scope of the Standing Orders in Parliament, he could not answer questions pertaining to an issue pending before court.
However, this could not influence the decision of the members of the Minority, who were grumbling about the turn of events, and the continuous use of arbitrary discretionary powers by the Chairman of the Committee.
The Minority then staged a walkout of the vetting of the President’s nominee on Foreign Affairs, whilst proceedings continued.
By all standards, the vetting of Alhaji Mumuni witnessed one of the rigorous intellectual exercises in the history of the Appointments Committee of Parliament.
The Minority later returned to participate in the vetting of the President’s nominee for the position of Minister of Science and Environment, Ms. Sherry Ayittey.

NPP Cautions NDC, Prez Mills

...'bring your supporters to order, else..
Posted: The Chronicle Friday, February 5, 2009
By Charles Takyi-Boadu

The leadership of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has sent a strong word of advice to the leadership of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), and President John Evans Atta Mills, to bring their supporters to order, since their actions could plunge the nation into chaos.
The advice came in the wake of a series of attacks on some members, and supporters of the NPP, at the Kokomba Market in Accra.
The party, led by its General Secretary, Nana Ohene Ntow, visited some supporters at the Kokomba Market, where their kiosks in which they live, have been razed down by alleged supporters and activists of the ruling party.
The leadership of the party, including the National Organiser, Lord Commey, National Youth Organiser, John Boadu, Sammy Crabbe, and the party's parliamentary candidate in the Odododiodioo constituency, Adjei Sowah were astonished by the accounts of some of the victims.
"Let me say this, that if people get pushed to the wall, they will bounce back," he emphasised, stressing, "when Gushegu and Tamale happened, people were quick to point fingers at the NPP, they forgot that since 1996 there have been consistent attacks on NPP supporters in certain parts of the Northern Region." Nana Ohene Ntow told reporters.
In the case of Gushegu and Tamale, he noted that when NPP supporters hit back to defend themselves, it turned out to be a big case.
He, therefore, expressed the wish that the turn of events does not get to the extent where people would be pushed to defend themselves, saying, "But of course, if the law enforcement agencies don't provide adequate protection for everybody, people may be forced to defend themselves, I don't think that may be good for communal safety, peace and security.
"I'm very disappointed by the fact that just because a party has come into office, supporters of the opposing party ought to be hounded of their living area, and out of their livelihoods," he noted.
"I think that it is totally unfortunate, I just want to remind the government and the President on the statement he made on the day he was sworn in, that he will be President for every Ghanaian, that with the NDC in power, no Ghanaian ought to live in fear."
Ohene Ntow could not fathom how politics could eat into people's minds, for them to be meting such untold and inhuman treatment on their fellow countrymen, stressing, "now these supporters of the NPP are saying that they want to be evacuated from the place some of them have lived for 40 years, just because they are being hounded by NDC supporters and activists."
Some of the victims, including 32 year old Yakubu Andani, whose wife and one-week old child have been kidnapped by supposed supporters of the NDC, gave chilling accounts of the fate they have suffered, since the NDC government assumed the reigns of power.
He told the group how his wife and one-week old child were kidnapped by thirty people, ten of whom he said, could easily be identified in any identification parade.
According to him, his wife and child were kidnapped between the hours of 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 3, this year, after the firing of several gunshots.
In the heat of events, he noted, since he realised he was a point of target, he fled only to return later, to be told that his wife and one-week old baby had been whisked away by the assailants.
Several others, including Mohammed Suhununu, gave similar accounts of harassment, and narrated how their rooms and belongings, including TV sets, stereos and monies, were stolen.
These assailants, some of whom are said to be still living in the area, have also emptied the animal pens of others.
Some of the victims accused top NDC leaders, including two Members of Parliament, of actively supporting and financing this violence.
However, the NPP General Secretary said they would get to the bottom of the issue.
This, according to him, was not only disturbing, but indeed criminal, if it was found to be true.
They have therefore promised to take up the matter to its logical conclusion, since they cannot sit in laxity for their supporters to be intimidated and cowed by fears.
He assured the party's supporters that the NPP leadership was solidly behind them, since, according to him, "they have every right to live everywhere they are living, in Agbogbloshie or any part of the country.
"It cannot be that because you support one political party, you cannot live in certain part of Accra, or you cannot live in a certain part of Ghana," he emphasised.
The leadership of the NPP has thus called on the ruling government and the authorities concerned, to protect all citizens, including supporters of the NPP, in Agbogbloshie and other parts of the country.
The leadership of the party later visited one of such people, Alhassan Hussein, Youth Organiser of the Action National Youth Association, who suffered a tortuous ordeal at the hands of some of these alleged NDC supporters at Korle-Gonno.
Hussein could barely speak or open his left eye, while his right eye had been plastered heavily, after being stoned and beaten that fateful day.

GHANA MOVES IN ONE ACCORD

…Devoid of politics and acrimony

Posted: The Chronicle Wednesday, February 2, 2009
By Charles Takyi-Boadu

The feeling at the independence square, the venue for the National Prayer and Thanks Giving service yesterday gave a confirmation of the commitments of Ghanaians to bury their individual and collective differences to move the country forward in one accord in these times of global economic recession.
Speaker after speaker expressed concern about the level of acrimony and division that characterised the just-ended General elections and stressed the urgent need for all Ghanaians to adopt an attitudinal change that will help move the country forward.
Preaching the sermon, the Bolgatanga based Reverent Minister, Rev. Eastwood Anaba wondered why the Ghanaian society had become rife with intolerance.
He however foresaw a new kind of revolution coming to Ghana which surpasses the mere tenets of industrial, social or intellectual revolution but one that he called “spiritual revolution”.
In this kind of revolution, which he said is written in the constitution of the spirits of Ghanaians, Rev. Anaba noted that one did not require a Parliamentarian, lawyer or an intellectual to read and interpret but to do it with one’s own conscience.
“May the conscience of this nation and the conscience of our leaders evolve into that which is super-natural, may a super-natural change come upon this nation and seize us like the way an armed robber seizes an unsuspecting victim on the highway”, he prayed.
As a man of ‘Frafra’ origin who is married to a Kwahu woman, Reverend Anaba could not but use his family as an example of how people from various backgrounds and beliefs can co-exist without any acrimony whatsoever.
According to him, this has been made possible by the trend of love and understanding that lies between him and his wife and therefore charged all Ghanaians to take a queue from his example to help move the country forward in one accord.
For him, there can be no better time than this, stressing that this is the time for Ghana to move forward and had this to tell the President “Professor John Evans Atta Mills, what a moment and time you have in your hand, you hold in your hand, a nation at a time that many Presidents never had because at the time of unprecedented chaos, that is when you need a man to stand and we thank God that this is the man God has chosen for us through our prophetic thumb-print.”
Whilst he conceded that there are difficult times ahead, Rev. Anaba was optimistic of Ghana’s ability to lift itself from doldrums, emphasising “what a time so difficult a task and yet surmountable.”
On his part, President John Evans Atta Mills thanked God for his tender mercies and loving kindness to nation and prayed that he will continue to shower his blessings on his children.
“Any society that does not have God as its foundation, is likely to collapse, indeed the secret behind the successful nations is the fact that they all lean heavily on the Almighty”, he noted.
At certain times when we are weary as individuals and as a nation, Professor Mills indicated that the good Lord carries his children at his back.
He was optimistic that Ghana as a nation has a special place in the heart of the almighty and for that matter he will never abandon Ghanaians.
He commended each and every Ghanaian for their individual and collective roles which ensured peace before, during and after the elections which saw him becoming the President.
Now that the elections are over, the President noted that work has to begin in earnest, asking all Ghanaians to gird their loins to work hard to consolidate the gains made so far.
“We need to be united as a nation to face the challenges ahead”, he said.
For him, honesty, transparency, hard work and love for one another are the only virtues that Ghanaians need to build a strong and viable nation, “we need always to join hands as a people with a common destiny, we need to forgive one another, we need to move forward as a people who have a protector who never fails.”
In that regard, the President noted that he is considering the option of setting aside a day as a day national thanksgiving.”
He proposed that every last Friday in January be set aside to be observed as such by Muslims whilst the first Sunday in the month February will be reserved for Christians for the same purpose.

Parliamentary roasting awaits nominees

… At Appointments Committee

By Charles Takyi-Boadu

Posted: The Chroinicle Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Even before they make their maiden appearance before the Appointments Committee of Parliament for consideration, issues have started popping up on four of the President’s nominees, including the likes of Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni and Sherry Ayittey.
Members of the Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG), led by Accra-based legal practitioner, Godfred Dame, have raised concerns over the nominations and possible approval of the Ministers-designate by Parliament.
They have thus tabled a petition before the Appointments Committee of Parliament, to, not only block, but revoke the nomination of the aforementioned individuals for ministerial positions.
At a press conference in Accra yesterday, the leadership of AFAG noted that the actions, conduct and behaviour of the said Ministers-designate, reeked of disdain and conscious disregard for the basic laws of the country, since according to them, it has brought them into public disregard.
They recalled how a forensic audit report, commissioned by the Auditor-General in the year 2004, into the operations of the National Vocational and Technical Institute (NVTI), made specific findings of financial improprieties, corruption and fraud against Alhaji Mumuni during his days at the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare, under the Rawlings National Democratic Congress (NDC) regime.
“It is remarkable that those findings were to the effect that through the gross negligence of Alhaji Mumuni, the state had lost a colossal ¢15 billion (old cedis) through his involvement with the NVTI alone,” they emphasised.
They further noted that the former Minister was found to have authorised the fraudulent release of amounts in excess of ¢19 billion from the Consolidated Fund, into undisclosed accounts.
To them, the fact that no punitive measures or criminal proceedings had not been instituted against Alhaji Mumuni, based on the report, was immaterial, since any future Attorney General could institute criminal proceedings against the Minister of Foreign Affairs-designate.
Mr. Dame, who was flanked by other members of AFAG, including the likes of Abeiku Dickson, Jojo Essel Cobbinah and Arnold Boateng, also raised issues with certain decisions taken by Alhaji Mumuni during his stint at the Ministry of the Interior during the transition, acting as the Representative of President Mills.
At a time when he had not been nominated by the President, they noted that the nominee dismissed the lawfully appointed head of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), and further extended his tentacles to the Ministry of Roads and Transport, to remove the acting head of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA).
They also questioned the authority with which Alhaji Mumuni imposed curfews in certain parts of the country, when he had not appeared before Parliament for prior approval.
“We think that for Alhaji Mumuni to engage in such palpable violations of the 1992 Constitution, he is unfit to be nominated by His Excellency the President to be a Minister of State, and also protect and defend the same 1992 Constitution,” they emphasised.
In the case of Sherry Ayittey, AFAG noted that grave and adverse findings of financial impropriety, fraudulent behaviour and forgery had been made against her in an audit report of the Auditor-General.
Ms. Ayittey was the trustee of the 31st December Women’s Movement share in Caridem, a company owned by the movement.
The Directors of Caridem were found, in a report prepared by the Auditor-General in 2004, to have fraudulently procured the GIHOC Nsawam Cannery.
Apart from not acquiring the sale of the GIHOC Cannery, the Auditor-General’s report said Caridem falsified documents, in order to reduce the outstanding liabilities of the company, on the purchase price of the factory.
In consequence, Caridem was said to have not paid the purchase price of the said factory, but still succeeded in securing the execution of a sale and purchase agreement, with the subsequent handing over of the factory in 1997.
It is the view of AFAG that in the face of this report of the Auditor-General, which has not been set aside, it would be totally wrong and prejudicial to the interests of the nation, for Ms Ayittey to be nominated by the President for a Ministerial position, saying, “Ms Ayittey must purge herself of these adverse findings, in order to be fit for consideration by Parliament, for approval as a Minister.
Meanwhile, the individuals involved have indicated their preparedness to institute legal action, to bring defamation charges against members of AFAG, who are making the claims.