NPP Press Conference had no basis - Ms Tetteh

Ms Hanna S. Tetteh, Communications Director of President John Dramani Mahama 2012 Campaign team, on Wednesday said the team has noted with regret the content of a press conference addressed by a Deputy Communications Director of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).

A statement signed by Ms Tetteh said: “We are of the view that it is important to raise the level of political discourse to a higher level of decency and debate to focus on the issues of most concern to Ghanaians and not flimsy, baseless personal attacks.”

“We note with regret that our opponents in the NPP are obviously not capable of conducting their campaign within that frame. This is unfortunate, but no doubt would give the people of Ghana an indication of the pathetic and desperate nature of their campaign for election 2012.”

The statement said the content of the NPP press conference was not worth public time, adding, “As it brings home no issues worthy of consideration by the good people of Ghana.”

It said it was simply an attempt to malign President Mahama, and asked “if President Mahama was the one who gave STX the 264 million United States dollars, terminated the contracts between the Government of Ghana and CP, Rockshell and Alfred Woyome, all No.”

The statement said beyond throwing allegations of corruption at appointees of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Government and asked whether the text of their press conference had any substance. No.

It said: “The respective Ministries, Departments and Agencies will respond in detail to all the allegations of corruption involving projects of those Ministries and the people of Ghana will be reminded of the details of each transaction and the process it went through.”

The statement said: “We will also remind Ghanaians of transactions that were concluded during the NPP administration and properties that were acquired by NPP functionaries or sold by the NPP Government to their business cronies so that voters are reminded of the facts surrounding the transactions the previous administration was involved with.”

It said the NDC Government under the Late President John Atta Mills and now President Mahama, has focused on bringing development across the country.

The statement said the people of Ghana heard the affirmations in the tributes that were paid to the late President Mills and that these had reflected in the public endorsement of President Mahama as he has traveled the length and breadth of Ghana.

It said: “This is what the NPP would like the people of Ghana to forget hence the vicious personal attack on President Mahama.”

The statement said: “Unlike the speech writers of the NPP we believe the people of Ghana are more discerning, and now that they have made the debate on character central to their campaign.”

“We believe that the people of Ghana will make the assessment of the character of the contenders for the Presidency and choose the better man to advance the agenda of creating a peaceful, prosperous country where every citizen irrespective of where they come from or their religious and political affiliation will have the opportunity to succeed.”

It said the President Mahama campaign team have taken note of the fact that the NPP and Nana Akuffo Addo have proceeded to launch a viral attack on facebook and other social media platforms in the vain hope that once allegations and slander are planted online they will at some point be repeated in the print and electronic media as news.

The statement said: “Desperate people try desperate tactics, and as the good book says, ‘by their fruits you shall know them’.”

It said: “President Mahama assures the people of Ghana that he will continue to work in their best interest.”

The statement said the NDC campaign for the 2012 elections will continue to focus on the most important social, economic and governance issues affecting Ghana.

It said the campaign will explain to Ghanaians the areas on which President Mahama and his Government will focus their attention if given the mandate of the people of this country, “in order to work for you and continue to advance the Better Ghana Agenda.”