Press Conference Addressed by the Concerned Members of NDC

Press Conference Addressed by the Concerned Members of NDC on Tuesday, 17TH Jan 2012 at the Physicians and Surgeons building

1. We the Concerned Members of the NDC wish to publicly declare our support to Mr Alfred Agbesi Woyome for using the Court to seek justice, when a lawful contract established between his consortium and the state by the procurement law was terminated by Kufour’s NPP for political reasons. His interest to use the Courts to resolve injustices meted out to him is most encouraging.

2. Indeed his further pledge to cooperate fully with the Economic and Organize Crime Office to investigate circumstances leading to why the state has lost huge sums of money because of Judgement debt payment is most commendable.

3. Unlike others debating purely legal issues in the media and running away from lawful state investigations, he has proven not to have anything to hide. He cannot therefore be intimidated by the current drama at the Attorney Generals department.

4. The motives of the Attorney General to have resurrected a dead and buried case against Mr Woyome is not so clear, particularly when NPP companies and individuals have been paid Judgments debts by this same government. The NPP did not suffer the kind of ridicule and frustrations Mr. Woyome’s own party colleagues in Government have subjected him to.

5. We can only wish the Attorney General luck as he passionately embarks on his fault finding mission to nail his fellow NDC colleague with the hope of pleasing the NPP. Like his deputy publicly remarked ‘it is not every case that can be defended.

6. He must be careful not to try and clean the mess of the NPP and smear it on his fellow party people.

7. It is important for Mr Martin Amidu to repair his recently bruised reputation, ego and respond to accusations of non performance leveled against his ministry. But that must not come at the peril of the NDC Party’s survival or the reputation of a businessman who has been handed justice at the Courts. Woyome is only one of many beneficiaries of Judgement debts.

The recent pronouncements by the Courts of Ghana for the state to pay huge Judgment debts to many institutions and individuals, demonstrate the extent to which the NPP government was most reckless, corrupt and incompetent during their eight years experiment in government. The attempts by the guilty and corrupt NPP functionaries, who want to use the media to cover up their crimes by attacking the Courts for doing their job is shameful. In our view this is a deliberate attempt to bastardize the real facts, especially when they, the NPP are privy to the administrative negligence and professional ineptitude of the erstwhile NPP government in this matter. It betrays their commitment to democracy and the rule of law. Can the payments of all judgment debts be mistakes? The sponsored media attacks on the person of Mr Woyome are dangerous for the following reasons:These attacks coming on the back of a Court verdict will increase the Political Risk Insurance of Ghana. No business man or entity will feel enticed to invest in Ghana because even if one is awarded justice for being a victim of a bad business transaction by the courts, political considerations can overturn that. Mr Woyome is a major architect in making the Sogakope, Begoro and Gushegu hospitals a reality. His interest in helping the poor and the needy in society is clear for all to see. Vile media propaganda such as what has been launched since the inception of this judgment debt debate has the tendency to discourage people who have the interest and development of Ghana at heart. The NPP must stop hiding behind the media and account for their stewardship to Ghanaians, including their role in how the state lost huge sums of money in Judgement debt. We are happy that EOCO has been commissioned to investigate the payment of the judgment debt. We are also satisfied that members of the NDC are cooperating with the investigations to unravel the truth. It is our hope that these investigations when completed, will permanently settle all dust surrounding the payment of the judgment debt. It is our hope that those whose actions have led to the state losing money will be punished severely. That will deter current and future public office holders. Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, chairman of the NPP, has called on members of his party not to cooperate with ongoing investigations by the EOCO. We find the actions of Obetsebi Lamptey to be criminal. Anybody who acts to protect criminals or stand in the way of lawful investigations is himself a criminal who must be prosecuted. We call on the state to immediately arrest Mr Obetsebi Lamptey.We also call on Nana Akuffo Addo to immediately resign his position as Flag bearer of the NPP and submit himself to the EOCO investigations. Indeed Nana Addo, Kuffour, Osafo Marfo, Kan Dapaah, and the entire government cabinet of 2005/2006 must account for why their recklessness and irresponsible decisions in government led to the lost of over a hundred million Ghana cedis as judgment debt. We the Concerned Members of the NDC wish to give Government up to Friday 20th Jan 2012 to arrest and compel the NPP government cabinet of 2005/2006 to The EOCO. Indeed we want to state categorically that, if the cooperation of the said persons is not secured by Friday, the 20th January, 2012 we shall mobilize all the progressive groups in Ghana to embark on a massive demonstration to drive home our message. Therefore by this submission we are calling on all members of the NDC and other progressive movements to stand by for a crusade to clean our society of corruption.

Robert Kpeteme

Secretary, Concerned NDC Members

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Hajia Sherifatu Sule,

Spokesperson- Concerned NDC Members

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