NPP misapplying state funds - Tony Aidoo

Dr Tony Aidoo, head of the Research Department and former NDC Deputy Minister of Defence, has stated that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is misapplying state funds in the name of the presidency.

According to The Chronicle, Dr Aidoo, speaking on a GTV programme “Kweku On-on-One” last Sunday said the government spent ?1.5 billion to renovate the private residence of the President, Mr J.A. Kufuor, but gave conflicting sources of funds for the renovation works. He added that for the 20 years that ex-President Rawlings stayed at the Castle, such a huge amount was not spent to renovate the edifice, which even doubled as his residence and official office.

Dr Aidoo also claimed that some journalists in the private media were paid by the NPP for its propaganda campaign against the NDC and this contributed his party's defeat during the last elections.

Dr Aidoo added that he was a victim of mal-administration at the University of Cape Coast where he lectured for almost a decade and had to resign because the authorities there could not tolerate his outspokenness against their mal-administration at the university.

On why he has stoutly defended ex-President Rawlings over the past decade, Tony Aidoo said he is fond of defending the ex-President because he is a man of principles.

He revealed that, as an Ashanti who grew up in Kumasi, he knows President Kufuor very well but that does not mean, he should take a blind stand against injustice in the society.

Dr Aidoo told his host, Kweku Sakyi Addo, that most of the leading men and women of the NPP who are today shouting at the roof-tops about democracy, ran away from the country when the times were rough but people like him (Aidoo), choose to leave lucrative jobs in London and come back home to help rebuild the nation.