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General News of Monday, 14 January 2008

Source: The Chronicle

Why minister was fired

... Poku owns cluster of plush mansions @Trasaaco
... Minumum Price $300,000 per house
... Poku defied President to resign

Pandemonium broke out between President J. A. Kufuor and the Security Minister, Mr. Francis Poku when the president asked him to resign as National Security Minister following a row which ensured between him and the president over series of accusations.

The Chronicle gathered that the emergency meeting to have him dismissed took place at the Airport residence of the President at 8:30am last Saturday where the Security Boss was reportedly defiant.

The Chronicle gathered also that the Minister frankly told the President that he would not resign, and that, he would report the matter to the press.

Present at the meeting were Ambassador D.K Osei, Secretary to the President, the Director-General of Police in Charge of Services, Mr. Adu-Gyimah, who represented the Police Boss, the Director General of the Criminal Investigations Department, Mr. Adu Poku among other top security officers of the state.

Chronicle was told that the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong was in Sunyani mourning with family of the police officer who lost his life during the controversial installation of the Awoamefia of Anlo while his Deputy Mrs. Mills-Robertson was said to be mourning with the former Director General of CID, Mr. David Asante-Apeatu over the death of his mother.

Our sources reported that President Kufuor asked the National Security Minister where he got the finance for the cluster of plush mansions at the Trasaaco Valley in Adjiringano, a suburb of Accra, within the short period of time he was appointed Minister of National Security.

Our sources further indicated that the president expressed dissatisfaction over the Minister?s constant use of the press to defame other security heads after quarreling with them, which could jeopardize national security.

The Heritage newspaper last year reported about how the security set-up was divided between two factions: the Francis Poku-led faction and the IGP Patrick Acheampong-led faction in a rivalry that lasted long before the publicized MV Benjamin cocaine scandal.

In rage, the President frantically ordered Mr. Poku to resign and hand over to his Boss, the Coordinator, Mr. Amoo Ghartey. ?I won?t resign. I will go to the press,? responded Mr. Poku, our sources said.

Therefore, the President vehemently asked Mr. Poku to walkout of his presence as quoted in local Twi: ?fre ha, fri mi fie se wu tie die mi ka.? When translated it means: ?leave my house if you will not heed my advice.?
The president then asked Ambassador D.K Osei to issue a Press Release that the Security Minister Boss has been relieved of his post with immediate effect.
The Chronicle contacted the National Security Minister via telephone but refused to pick the phone.