Agyarko dares Mahama, A-G: Prosecute me if…

The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayawaso West Wuogon, Mr. Emmanuel Kwabena Agyarko is daring President John Dramani Mahama’s Government and its Chief Legal Advisor, the Attorney-General (A-G,) Madam Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, to prosecute him if they have proof that he embezzled state funds or engaged in any financial misappropriation as being alleged against him when he was head of the Food and Drugs Board (FDB), now Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).

The NPP MP, who, in recent times, had taken a serious swipe at the Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) Administration, is reported to have said that the ongoing fitful power supply, is as a result of mismanagement, incompetence and corruption on the part of the government.

Making mockery of the President’s fight against corruption, Mr. Emmanuel Kwabena Agyarko on Si no pii; a socio-political talk show on Breeze 90.9FM last week Tuesday, challenged government and for that matter the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, to institute legal action against him if indeed the allegations making the rounds that he had embezzled funds belonging to the State and also acted against the advice of the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) by operating some secret accounts.

As if the above-stated challenge was not enough, the Ayawaso West Wuogon MP, went bonkers; casting innuendos and vituperation on media houses and their editors, including The Informer, among others, that reported on the issue at the time.

Mr. Agyarko, ex- Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the then FDB and two others, (Ms. Genevieve Nelson-Finance Officer and Mr. Gabriel Tordzro-Accountant), were cited in an investigative report to have acted against the advice of CAGD by operating some secret accounts.

Total lodgements into those accounts between 2002 and 2006 were ¢7,865,120,307.36 (old cedis) or US$640.775.15 equivalent.

A report by the investigative bureau quoted Ms. Genevieve Nelson (then FDB Finance Officer) as admitting that the FDB management ignored the CAGD’s express order not to open any accounts with the said bank of which Mr. Emmanuel Agyarko was a signatory.

It was also captured in the report that, spanning from 2002-2006, the FDB, under the leadership of the NPP Ayawaso West Wuogon MP, printed and used receipts not approved by the CAGD contrary to FAR 28 (2 & 3) of 2004.

There was also a widespread use of forged documents to, allegedly, fraudulently siphon monies from the illegal GDB accounts.

Per Mr. Emmanuel Kwabena Agyarko’s recent comments daring the Mahama-led NDC Government and scornfully degrading the fight against corruption by the present administration, it is only proper that the A-G takes steps to have the above-stated allegations investigated to, either clear the NPP MP of any wrongdoing or if found guilty, face the full rigors of the law.