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General News of Wednesday, 18 February 2004

Source: Network Herald

Tsikata Apprehensive Of NRC

The former Chief Executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Cooperation, (GNPC) Tsatsu Tsikata says he is apprehensive about the apparent inaction of the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) towards several appeals he has made to the Commission to respond to allegations made against him there.

He confirmed to the Network Herald that he had made several attempts since December last year to appear before the NRC. According to Mr. Tsikata, his request if granted, would afford him the opportunity to react to certain serious allegations made by three person: Chris Asher, Squadron Leader Tagoe and Corporal Mattew Adabuga against him.

These allegations related to his alleged role in the executions of the three former Heads of state in 1979 as well as the murder of the three High Court judges and the military officer in 1982. Mr. Tsikata served in the two regimes under Flt. Lt. Rawlings (rtd). The three witnesses appeared before the Commission and mentioned the names of Messieurs Rawlings, Kojo Tsikata and Tsatsu Tsikata as brains behind the killings.

Mr. Asher in particular is reported to have told the NRC that the fugitive Lance Corporal Amedeka had intimated to him while in prison, that the former GNPC boss, was ?the planner and analyst? of the dastardly murder of the judges and the military officer in 1982.

Investigations by the paper confirmed further that the Commission wrote to Mr. Tsikata in November last year, to prompt him to be in readiness to react to Mr. Chris Asher?s allegation. Documents at the Commission attest to this and also to a reply from Tsatsu dated December last year, indicating his preparedness to appear before it to react to the allegations made by the three witnesses. He has however not been called since even though he is in constant communication with the Public Affairs section of the NRC.

Mr. Tsikata admitted calling the Commission on several occasions but explained that the import of the calls was to get the Commission to avail him a ?cover letter? its Executive Secretary Ken Attafuah had promised but not delivered.