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AFAG, Press Release
June 20, 2013
Fight against corruption; President Mahama
Clueless
The Alliance for Accountable Governance, AFAG, doffs it hat for
Mr. Martin A.B.K. Amidu, former Attorney General and Minister
for Justice for his relentless role in ensuring that Ghana
recoups some 40 million euros doled out illegally to Waterville
Holding Ltd. and Mr. Alfred Woyome.
It would be recalled that, insults rained on Mr. Amidu when he
took upon himself the role and task of citizen vigilante to
fight against corruption which had become (and still is) so
endemic within the National Democratic Congress (N.D.C)
government.
This singular act was misconstrued for ‘misconduct’ by the N.D.C.
government and consequently led to the dismissal of this noble
man who in many other jurisdictions would have earned the
applause of all.
Today this ‘misconduct’ has paid off, as Ghanaians have a story
to tell generations unborn that at a time when the NDC
government decided to defend with unrestrained abandon, the act
of looting the tax payers money in an innovative but criminal
fashion by way of judgment debts, one man in the person of Mr.
Martin Amidu decided to be the social conscience of the party
and ensured that the Ghanaian knew the root of gargantuan
proportions of corruption and official duplicity which blossomed
under the NDC government.
It is however, refreshing to note that Mr. Amidu was not alone
in this fight against these economic vampires whose main
objective is to milk the state till the last drop. The voice of
the masses that came out loud in their numbers at AFAG’s ‘ATTA
WAYO’ demonstration is worth mentioning. Mr. Kennedy Agyapong,
NPP MP for Assin North, cannot be left out for the whistle
blowing role he played in bringing this issue of reckless
dissipation of the country’s scarce resources to the fore.
Whiles many regard the ruling of the Supreme Court as progress,
it is the considered opinion of AFAG, that this progress is only
precarious in that it brings us face to face with yet another
challenge of enforcing the judgment. Thus, until frantic steps
are taken by the N.D.C government to enforce this landmark
judgment, the judgment will forever remain meaningless and
useless to the Ghanaian taxpayer.
Unfortunately, there is no glimmer of hope under the current NDC
administration, given that all those who partook in this
dastardly act of ‘creating, looting and sharing’ from the
national treasury still parade themselves on the streets of
Accra with their heads and shoulders high and enjoy unrestricted
freedom under the canopy of President John Mahama. What has
happened to Mr. Henry Martey Newman, Ebow Barton Oduro and Betty
Mould Iddrisu who all remain complicit in this affair? Section
61 subsection 5 of the The Financial Administration Act of 2003,
clearly states that;
‘Where any sum of money is lost to the Government by misconduct,
neglect of duty or negligence by any person employed in the
collection or receiving of any public moneys, the person is
accountable for the sum, as if the person had collected and
received it and it may be recovered from that person as if he
collected and received it.’
In line with the spirit and the letter of this act, we urge the
president to take the necessary action against the said persons
and or any other person complicit in the matter.
Indeed, our conviction of why President Mahama would let
Ghanaians down once again is reinforced with the enormous trust
and confidence the President has in his AG and Minister of
Justice, Marrieta Brew Oppong, whose legal firm has a long
standing relationship with the NDC financier and Watervile
Holdings Limited. It therefore remains no secret at this point
that her appointment as AG and Minister for Justice is nothing
but a defense mechanism to shield and protect the conspirators
of this ‘evil’ act against the good people of this country.
Thus, the only way President Mahama, can salvage his already
sunk image as far as the fight against corruption is concerned
is to unconditionally relieve Marrieta Brew Oppong of her duties
as Minister, sack Mr. Tony Lithur for bringing the presidency
into disrepute and immediately cause the arrest of all involved
in this heinous crime against Ghanaians.
For a country which currently struggles to meet her financial
obligations to her workers, the least we expect from Mahama is
to take a cue from President JF. Kennedy of the United States of
America when he stated “ask not what your country can do for
you, but ask what you can do for your country”. Mr. President
you are uniquely positioned to do something for your country at
this particular time.
The way to go is not to over burden the already burdened
Ghanaian with excessive taxes or abnormal increases in utility
tariffs, rather to prevent financial leakages in the system.
Thank you. Clueless
Signed:
Davis Opoku Ansah 0244861593
Abu Ramadan 0244570006
Harold Boateng 0244294754
Dr. Nana Ayew Afriye 0244780359
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