Wednesday, 14th September, 2022

Page 4
DAILY ANALYST Wednesday, 14th September, 2022
Oppong Nkrumah
clarifies Akufo-
Addo’s comment on
Aisha Huang’s exit
Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong
Nkrumah has clarified President Akufo-Addo’s
comment about his uncertainty regarding
how ‘galamsey’ kingpin, Aisha Huang, exited
the country in 2018.
President Akufo-Addo in an interview on a Ho-based radio
station on Monday, as part of his tour of the Volta Region said
he is not sure about how Aisha Huang left the country.
“I’m not still sure whether she was in fact deported. Or
whether she fled the country the first time and has now come
back. There still seems to be some uncertainty about it.
“But whichever way it is, she’s become the sort of
nickname for all that galamsey represents”, the President
said
Ṗresident Akufo-Addo has since been severely criticised
for his comment which has been described, among others, as
a “mockery” of the security architecture.
But the Information Minister in an interview on
Newsnight on Joy FM, Tuesday, said the President’s comment
was a direct response to the particular question he was asked.
“The President was not speaking in a vacuum. There was
a question about deportation and the President proceeded
to respond that he is not too sure whether it is about
deportation or whether she fled but then the substantive
thing is this and then he proceeded to provide the substantive
answer.
“I have heard several commentators suggest that there
should have been more clarity in the President’s words
etc. I mean in a democracy I am sure that we can always
raise questions about the choice of words,” he explained on
Tuesday.
The Ofoase-Ayirebi MP also confirmed that Aisha Huang
exited the country on a repatriation notice.
“What is on the minds of many people is indeed, did this
person exit the Ghanaian jurisdiction? That is what is on the
minds of many people. That whether the instrument used was
repatriation or a deportation. Did she exit the jurisdiction?
“And I think the answer to that is yes, she exited the
jurisdiction on the wishes of the government and I have
sighted the repatriation notice and I have also sighted the
flight details that were used for that repatriation exercise,” he
added.
Meanwhile, Security Analyst, Dr. Ishmael Norman has
described the President’s comment as a mockery of the
national security architecture.
“It tells you that national security is wack in terms of
preparedness against potential threat at our borders and
as security people, we need to impress upon the President
that we need to know more. Because to tell you the truth,
they are making a mockery of the Ghana Army, the Police,
the Immigration, of Customs and all the security agencies
because of what the President just said today. No control
system is in place so people can come and go when they
want,” he said on Top Story, Tuesday.
Source: myjoyonline.com
Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah
Mahama denies
ex-gratia claims
Former President John
Dramani Mahama has
rubbished claims by
the New Patriotic Party
Chairman for the Bono
Region, Kwame Baffoe Abronye,
that he has been paid millions as
ex-gratia.
According to him, what he
receives from the government
currently was his monthly pension,
adding that all other bills
the state must cater for had not
been attended to since he left
office in 2017.
He disclosed that he is not
fully benefiting from emoluments
he is entitled to as a
former Head of State.
Mr. Dramani Mahama was responding
to the recent claims by
Mr. Baffoe Abronye to the effect
that he has been paid millions in
lieu of ex-gratia payments.
He was speaking on TV3,
which was monitored by DAILY
Analyst.
He went on to underscore
that he was currently footing a
myriad of bills.
These, he said, included his
own light bills, fuel, office rent
and travel bills.
“I receive only my monthly
A
Member of the
National Democratic
Congress (NDC) legal
team, Lawyer Edudzi
Tamakloe, says former
President Mahama’s comment
on the Judiciary is not different
from an Afro-barometer report
by the Centre for Democratic
Development (CDD).
This statement comes
after the Attorney-General and
Minister for Justice, Godfred
Dame responded to former
President John Mahama’s recent
critique of the Judiciary.
The Former President
speaking at a gathering at the
NDC’s Lawyers’ Conference on
Sunday, August 28, said it will
take a new Chief Justice to
repair the ‘broken image’ of the
Judiciary.
According to him, the current
leadership of the Judiciary lacks
what it takes to redeem its
sunken image, hence the need for
a new Chief Justice.
Reacting to Mahama’s
comment, Mr. Godfred Yeboah
Dame said the former president
has developed the habit of
criticising the Judiciary
unnecessarily.
“Such conduct is clearly
deplorable, coming from one who
has occupied the highest office
of President and aspires again
to that office. At this moment, it
is important for all to note that
I express this sentiment not
because I stand in opposition to
Former President John Dramani Mahama
pension. Like President Kufuor or
President Rawlings was receiving
until he died. That is all I get.”
…I pay the electricity bill for
my house, for my office. I pay the
water bill for my house and office.
I live in my own accommodation
so the state does not pay me
anything for accommodation,” he
stated.
former President Mahama as a
politician”, Godfred Dame said.
Speaking on Accra-based
Atinka FM yesterday, lawyer
Edudzi Tamakloe, said the attack
on Mahama is unwarranted as
what he said had already been
said by others.
He revealed that an
Afrobarometer survey by
the Centre for Democratic
Development (CDD) indicated
that 85% of Ghanaians perceive
judges and magistrates as
corrupt.
According to the report, more
than eight out of 10 Ghanaians
say at least some judges and
magistrates are corrupt,
The former President made it
clear that he has not been given
an office by the state.
“I rent an office in East Cantonment,
I pay the rent myself, I
pay for my own fuel, and the state
doesn’t give me fuel. I pay my
own domestic staff, I pay my own
medical bills. I pay for my own air
tickets when I travel,” he said.
“CDD report backs Mahama’s
claims against judges”
including 40% who say almost all
court officials are corrupt.
“It’s either we do not like
to speak the truth or we are
interested in the person speaking
the truth. The Afro-barometer
survey by the Centre for
Democratic Development (CDD)
indicated that 85% of Ghanaians
perceive judges and magistrates
as corrupt. Kan Dapaah has
also made a similar comment.
How different is what John
Mahama said from that of the
CDD, is it because it is coming
from Mahama?,” Lawyer Edudzi
Tamakloe told Kaakyire Ofori
Ayim.