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General News of Thursday, 19 February 2009

Source: True Democrat

Mpiani - Powerless Muscles

…he is still suffering from withdrawal symptoms

…power goes with authority and he has none anymore

The Former Chief of Staff Mr. Kwadwo Mpiani, yesterday said at a news conference that the NPP transitional team would not co-operate with the government’s transitional team as far as transitional matters are concerned because the NDC side was painting the former government black.

He therefore called on Ghanaians to treat the final report of the to be presented to President Mills as one sided

Mr. Mpiani cited the summoning of the Auditor General, Mr. Edward Duah-Agyemang to appear before the NDC Transitional team and his live media presentation of the Ghana@50 audited accountswhich he said flouted the ethics of accounting procedures as well as the leaking of what he said were half truths by the government’s transitional team to the media as clear cases of painting the former government black.

However, a source close to the government’s transitional team says the former Chief of Staff is only flexing powerless muscles.

“He has not got the power or the authority to tell the government how to run the affairs of the state. The President, and by extension, the government’s transitional team have the power and authority vested in them by the people of Ghana to do what they believe is just and fair” the source said.

A member of the transitional team told the True Democrat that right from the beginning, Mpiani rebuffed all attempts by the government’s transitional team to uncover some of the dubious documents and activities that was being concealed from the team but was unearthed later.

“Now, because of the exposures, particularly the rot uncovered at the Ghana@50, he is shivering like a reed in a windstorm” the member said The source said the former Chief of Staff who was also the former Minister for Presidential Affairs is only blowing hot air because he is no longer the Chief of Staff and no longer wields untrammeled power as he used to.

“He is an ordinary citizen just like any one of us and no longer above the law as used to be the case when the NPP was in office. It will be in his own interest to co-operate with the state, if need be, when the time comes” the source said

Ghanaians were shocked to the marrow of their bones when it was revealed by the Auditor-General that the country spent US$60 million (GH¢60,179,481) instead of US$20 million in celebrating its 50th anniversary (Ghana@50) in 2007 and was still in arrears. The rot has been laid at the feet of Mr. Mpiani who was the supervising Minister of the Ghana @50 celebrations.

Mr. Mpiani has also been accused by the Commissioner of CEPS of causing financial loss to the state by selling off state vehicles without the knowledge of CEPS.

The True Democrat’s source said but for the magnanimity of President Mills, people like Akufo-Addo and Kwabena Agyapong would have been surcharged for using state vehicles for months under the watch of Kwadwo Mpiani even when they were no longer in government