Ablakwa Jabs Nana Addo Over 11BN Arrears Claim

A former Deputy Minister for Education Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has described the President’s claim that there was an amount of e 11billion Ghana Cedis arrears left by the Mahama led administration as “campaign mood talk”.

The North Tongu Member of Parliament (MP), in his response to Nana Addo’s comment said it was another deliberate attempt on the part of the President to drag the image of the previous NDC government into the mud.

Speaking on Joy FM/MutiTV’s news analysis show Newsfile on Saturday Mr. Ablakwa said, if forged documents and fake certificates have been submitted to government by either companies or individuals which has a claim that the government owes them, the government should put those people before the law court and make sure they are sanctioned accordingly.

He also expressed worry about the President’s inability to break down the specifics referring to the identity of these individual contractors and companies supposedly involved in these scandals. He said it was strange that government lacks the commitment to deal with these people by simply putting out their names by way of shaming and punishing them.

“I expected the President to give us the breakdown of these individual contractors and companies and am referring to their identity and in doing so you name and shame, apprehend and punish them just to show government commitment in dealing with such criminals”.

According to him, the issue of whether or not the Mahama led administration bloated and inflated contracts and signed ghost contracts was not needed and therefore he should start prosecuting those who have been found culpable to have engaged in these acts.

“the issue at hand is not about Mahama’s administration bloated or inflated or signed ghost contracts, you have been given the mandate so you have the power to prosecute such perpetuators”.

Mr. Ablakwa stated that, Ghanaians expected something more concrete from the President and so it wasn’t good enough to have been in that state of campaign mood, the people of this country want to see the government holding these ill-doers accountable.

By: Vincent Arhinful Aidoo