Abuga Pele is not a scapegoat in GYEEDA rot - Gov't

Government has denied claims that former National Coordinator of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) is being used as a scapegoat in the GYEEDA scandal.

Government’s response comes after threats by constituents of the embattled Member of Parliament for Chiana - Paga threatened to vote against the governing NDC, if the criminal charges leveled against him in the GYEEDA saga are not dropped.

Mr. Pele and the Chief Executive Officer of Goodwill International Group, Philip Akpeena Assibit are facing a total of 19 charges including causing financial loss to the state of about US$3 million and defrauding by false pretences.

The prosecution of the two men comes on the heels of a recent assurance given to Ghanaians by Information and Media Relations Minister Mahama Ayariga that President John Mahama will not spare any big fish found culpable in the whole GYEEDA rot.

Mr. Pele has however stated his innocence in the charges leveled against him.

Speaking to XYZ News, a Deputy Information Minister, Felix Ofosu Kwakye stated that government benefits nothing by Abuga Pele as a scapegoat in the GYEEDA scandal.

“What does government stand to benefit in engaging in scapegoating” Mr. Ofosu Kwakye queried.

He added that “the same people who are saying on air, bastardising government and claiming that government was unwilling to take action are suddenly saying that when specific individuals are arraigned before court on specific charges there is scapegoating”.