Attivor’s historical prison account was twisted – Woyome suggests

Translated reports that former Transport Minister had entertained fear she would go to jail if the NPP comes to power was inaccurate, Member of Parliament for South Tongu, Kobla Mensah Woyome contends.

Canvassing votes for the MP for Ketu South early this year, Dzifa Attivor who resigned as a minister after the controversial Smarttys bus branding saga, is reported to have accused the NPP of being a tribal party bent on prosecuting only Ewes if it wins the forthcoming general elections.

Speaking in her native language, she referred to the record of the NPP government between 2001 and 2008 and argued the NPP targeted only members of her ethnic group for prosecution.

Her comments attracted an avalanche of criticisms from some statesmen including former President Rawlings, himself an Ewe.

But the MP for South Tongu in the Volta Region told TV3’s +275, the debate for parliamentary aspirants on Tuesday, Attivor’s critics based their condemnation on a translation, he indicated was poorly done.

“The woman did not say what was transcribed in English,” he strongly argued. “In any case, the woman was simply admonishing the people, the audience, through what I will consider a historical account.”

This account, he indicated was appropriate because it will “guide ourselves into the future”.

Mr. Woyome, who is running for the third time as a Member of Parliament said he has “no problem at all” with what Dzifa Attivor said having listened to the tape severally.

“These were things that happened. And as it happened, they ought to be told, they ought to be orally communicated, probably even written for people to come and see later,” he remarked.

But the NPP parliamentary candidate elect for South Tongu, Seth Agbi would not say whether or not Attivor was wrongly attributed in English, but could sense some fears in her.

“If you are not stealing anybody’s fowl when the person is coming you don’t panic,” he started his take on Attivor’s comments with an adage.

“She is afraid of her own shadow,” Seth Agbi pointed out, wondering, “If you have not done anything why should you fear?”