Shut Up And Jail Us Now – Okudzeto Ablakwa Dares NPP Gov’t

If it is true that political appointees of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government led by John Mahama got themselves involved in acts of corruption, financial malfeasance and causing of financial loss to the State, then the Nana Akufo-Addo led-Government should stop the political rhetoric and get the supposed corrupt politicians tired and jailed, Samuel OkudzetoAblakwa, Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu has dared.

The outspoken Okudzeto-Ablakwa said the opposition NDC is fed up with the litany of allegations leveled against its members by the NPP led-Government and its appointees without proof or any form of evidence whatsoever.

The NPP government, since its assumption of office, had alluded to several supposed corrupt and shady deals under the erstwhile NDC administration.

Even before the party exited government on January 7, this year DzifaAttivor,a former Minister for Transport had already pressed the alarm button urging NDC faithfuls in the Volta Region to vote for the NDC to avert jail.

Although, her comments were variously interpreted to mean a tacit acceptance of the fact that officials under the Mahama Presidency were corrupt, Ablakwa wants evidence.

DzifaAttivor, who resigned her ministerial position last year following the controversial bus branding saga, is on record as having told the grassroots that all that stands between her and prison time, is the Volta regional vote.

She argued that ‘I want to remind you that it is your vote that will decide if Fifi Kwetey and I will be prosecuted and put behind bars or not’ she rallied.

Inactive A-G

Speaking on Joy FM’s news analysis show Newsfile on Saturday, Okudzeto-Ablakwa said Article 88 of the 1992 Constitution is clear about who has the authority to investigate and prosecute crime and corruption urging the Attorney General to act swiftly.

“What is all this about, that we [NDC functionaries] are corrupt, we have stolen Ghana’s money, we have taken cocoa funds after losing the election and we have spent over $400 million?” he queried.

Prosecute

But the former Deputy Education Minister MP accused the NPP government of lacking the moral courage and evidence to prosecute the NDC functionaries.

“Why are we walking as free men? Why can’t you take action if people have bought motorbikes for ¢17,000 which has turned out to be blatant falsehood? Please deal with it he,” he said.

MrAblakwa said the NPP has been on accusing the NDC of corruption for years and since it now has power, it should go ahead and punish wrongdoers and not go about holding press conferences.

His comments come at the heels of a news conference by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) Chief Executive who alleged corrupt acts by the previous government.

Joseph BoahenAidoo had accused the John Mahama administration of “syphoning” millions of dollars from the Board’s accounts.

He said former COCOBOD CEO, Dr Stephen Opuni, “used export duty payments from COCOBOD as a conduit to syphon funds for activities not related to cocoa.”

Mr.Aidoo made the revelation at a news conference Wednesday, in a sharp response to cocoa-related issues raised by the Minority in Parliament at Bodi in the Western Region.

“This amount was taken from COCOBOD in the name of “exercise” duty (in the word of the then Deputy Minister of Finance – a Board member of COCOBOD CasielAtoForson). The payment under export duty was to make it appear legitimate,” he added.

Source: thepublisher