General News of Thursday, 24 March 2011

Source: Peacefmonline

Mills Calls Himself 'Osofo' But Practices 'Thievery' - Boadu

A member of the NPP's Communication Team for Election 2012, John Boadu, has hit hard at the ruling government describing President John Evans Atta Mills as someone who touts himself as "Osofo" and yet practices "thievery".

John Boadu's comment comes on the heels of a recent meeting by some National Executive Members (NEC) of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) allegedly called at the behest of President Mills.

On Friday, March 18, President Mills convened a meeting at the Peduase Lodge which was attended by Regional Ministers, NDC Regional Chairmen and selected NEC members. The agenda for the meeting, according to sources, was to discuss how the party would raise funds for the upcoming National Congress to elect the flagbearer and other pressing party issues.

But the former NPP National Youth Organizer, who accused the NDC of double standards and unbridled corruption, challenged the decision by President Mills to hold a party function using state resources. He argued that though it is the right of the ruling party to schedule a meeting with its activists, it should not be done at the expense of the state.

To him, by so doing the NDC party is piling up unnecessary debts which will later be borne by the tax-payer.

"My friend, it is not proper, it is unconstitutional, it is thievery, and they are stealing from Ghana.The resources of the state are being applied for private activities.This is corruption! It is corruption and I repeat it is corruption," Mr. Boadu screamed.

Contributing to a panel discussion on Oman FM's Public Agenda political talk show, John Boadu also castigated the National Youth Organiser of the NDC, Ludwig Hlordze, for filing his "car tank" with the taxpayer's fuel and using it for his personal activities.

He indicted the NDC for shamefully neglecting the Peduase Lodge edifice and leaving it in a state of total disrepair, but turned around to hold meetings at the place after it was renovated by the Kufuor-led NPP administration. He also sneered at President Mills' "man of integrity" accolade accusing him of burying his head in the sand like the ostrich.

".what kind of corruption is this? When you wake up you call yourself 'Osofo', is that how to run a country?...Is he not aware? Isn't he a lawyer? They say he's a man of integrity, isn't this corruption?...We must develop a nation with sincerity and honesty. I believe that ...those in the NDC who know what democracy is about will listen with good ears. You don't organize meetings with state resources for the benefit of a political party," John Boadu said.