NDC To Boycott Govt. Probes

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Tuesday said it has decided that its ex-Ministers and former government appointees would no longer co-operate in investigations into its eight years of administration.

Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu, Acting Chairman of the NDC Political Committee, told a press conference in Accra that neither its ex-ministers nor appointees would answer questions before "the numerous inquisitions, panels and bodies set up to harass and persecute them''.

They will also not "respond to the numerous extensive, intrusive and oppressive questionnaire administered to them."

The Press conference, attended by the party's hierarchy, was to inform the public about "the continued campaign of harassment, intimidation, persecution and prosecution of ex-NDC ministers and functionaries".

Alhaji Mahama said the party's decision was informed by the situation in which the government, for lack of evidence, literally asked the ex-ministers and appointees to incriminate themselves through answers they gave in questionnaires administered to them.

"The Committee took note of the common law and constitutional rules against self-incrimination. It also considered the constitutional rights to privacy and respect for human rights."

Alhaji Mahama, a former Minister of Defence, said while the NDC would not condone wrong action or misconduct of any of its ex-ministers and appointees, the party's position was that the government should send evidence of such cases to the court of law.

"Our officials will rather defend themselves in court than answer to undercover investigative panels whose objectives are unclear, whose motives are suspicious and whose methods are inquisitorial."

He said it has become obvious that the so-called evidence being adduced at the various political trials is nothing that the government could rely upon for successful prosecutions.

They have, therefore, resorted to what the party called 'fishing for evidence’.

“Extensive and very intrusive questionnaires are administered to the ex-NDC Ministers and officials and on the basis of the answers provided, the investigation panellists then proceed to charge these officials," he said.

Alhaji Mahama said whatever information, clarifications or explanations the ex-ministers and appointees offered were of no interest to the investigators. "Their main interest has been how to distort the information and plant them in the media in a manner calculated to destroy the image of the NDC as a party and the individuals involved."

He said it was the party's view that the prosecutions and unnecessary harassment of its ex-ministers and appointees were part of government's broad design to dismember and destroy the party.

Alhaji Mahama catalogued various cases of harassment and intimidation and cited a letter that the District Chief Executive for Tolon allegedly wrote to the NDC MP for Tolon, the former District Chief Executive and the former Regional Minister banning them from entering Tolon, from where the three persons hail.

"There is even more ominous development. We have information about a plan to frame certain ex-ministers and functionaries in a coup plot or plots.

"Apparently, this is part of a grand design to ensure the demise of Ex-President Jerry John Rawlings and some specific functionaries of the former NDC government, either by their elimination, incarceration or harassment to go into exile."

Alhaji Mahama alluded to alleged public statement made by Mr J.H. Mensah, the Minister of Government Business, that the NDC party would be dismantled by the time the government finishes with the trial of former NDC Ministers and functionaries.

He said the witch-hunt, harassment and undercover assault on the freedom and dignity of the members of the opposition could well be the outdoing of the NPP government.

Alhaji Mahama said the press as the fourth state of the realm had the responsibility to ensure the existence of a credible opposition, stressing that any attempt to annihilate the opposition will be dangerous for the country.