`Lest We Forget` NPP Looting brigade

Transcription

NPP - the Looting Brigade
First Published October 2012
Published by Lest We Forget Publications
Accra, Ghana
All rights reserved. No part of this booklet may be reproduced, stored or introduced in
log retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without permission
from the authors/publishers.
LEST WE FORGET NPP - the Looting Brigade
Dedication
Dedicated to His Excellency Professor John Evans Atta Mills (1909-2012), President of
Ghana (2009-2012) who taught us that there was another way to political engagement
in which peace, tolerance, self-control, equality of opportunity (irrespective one's social
position or lineage or ethnic background), respect for one another, and inclusiveness
all become the guiding principles of life.
page 3
UNDER CONSTRUCTION ! 2012
Ex - President Kufuors’s Spanking
New Palatial Edifice,
Opposite Peduasi Lodge
Vice - President Aliu Mahama: 30th July 2002
We did not go into government because
of money; we already have our own houses,
Mercedes Benzes and Pajeros. We have not
come to steal government’s money
page 4
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
6
CHAPTER 1
IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE CORRUPTION AND LOOTING
A FRAUDULENT PARTY
THE IFC SCAM
THE CNTCI SCAM
2007: YET ANOTHER LOAN SCAM - AFFORDABLE HOUSING
13
13
13
13
16
18
CHAPTER 2
WHAT THE AUDITOR-GENERAL SAID ABOUT NPP CORRUPTION
AUDITOR-GENERAL'S REPORT 2005
20
20
23
24
24
27
CHAPTER 3
MORE CORRUPTION
GHANA INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATIONS- 2007
THE GHANA@50 PILLAGE
THE LOOTING OF THE NHIS
THE TOR DEBT RECOVERY LEVY
LOOTING THE SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME
PLAIN STEALING AT THE BANK OF GHANA. BAWUMIA WAS THERE
30
30
30
30
31
33
35
38
CHAPTER 4
DON'T MENTION THE COCAINE
THE 77 PARCELS OF COCAINE
THE EAST LEGON COCAINE SAGA
THE 2008 COCAINE TURNED CASSAVA POWDER (KONKONTE)
44
44
49
50
50
CHAPTER 5
UNPRECEDENTED GREED - THE LAND GRABBING GANG
STATE BUNGALOWS AND PRIME LANDS FOR NPP LEADERS
THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SCAM
MORE LOOTING
PROFLIGATE SPENDING
52
52
54
55
62
63
page 5
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 6
DEMOCRATIC TRADITION? YOU SHOULD SAY THAT TO THE MARINES
OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES UNDER NPP
COURT RESTRAINS CJA FROM PEOPLES' JUBILEE MARCH
THE NPP EMPIRE STRIKES BACK ON PEACE DEMONSTRATORS - 2006
THE DEATH THREAT ON PRIME MINISTER DR. BUSIA'S DAUGHTER
66
66
68
69
70
71
CHAPTER 7
DECEITS AND LIES GALORE
72
72
CHAPTER 8
TRIBALISTS AND ETHNIC CHAUVINISTS
AND FINALLY................
81
81
83
CONCLUSION
85
page 6
Introduction
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
This is an observation by George Santayana, which we in Ghana cannot afford to ignore;
because doing so will be at our great peril.
We need to constantly remind ourselves about the things that happened to us in the
past in this country. Doing so would enable us to steer away those very things that
showed us the nasty sides of politics in Ghana.
As we approach the December 2012 general elections, we urge the people of this
country to consider the options before them, whether it is better to vote for the CPP,
the PNC, the NPP or the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Apart from the NDC, the
NPP is the only other political party that has a governance record, since the overthrow
of the Nkrumah regime.
The hypocrisy of the UP tradition, both in government and opposition is legendary.
As far back as the days before Ghana's independence, the forbearers of the NPP - The
United Party (UP - 1957-1965); The Progress Party (PP- 1969-1972); and The Popular
Front Party (PFP- 1979-1981) were known to be specialists in violence and mischiefmaking, who would even work against the interest of Ghana if they think that would
bring them to power. For example, they were so much against the attainment of
Independence for this country that they even sent a delegation to the British government
not to grant us independence. When that did not succeed, they became so embittered
that they stayed away from the Independence celebrations. That is why when you see
pictures of the independence events in 1957, none of them was there. Dr. Kofi Abrefa
Busia was absent. J.B. Danquah, like the proverbial “Apaa Danquah”, was nowhere to be
found. Likewise, Obetsebi Lamptey was lost in the fray.
Their appetite for violence is unsurpassed in this country. Realising that they were not
winning the democratically conducted elections, they resorted to extreme violence,
including murder, arson and torture. We recall how the sister of Krobo Edusei, a CPP
leader in Ashanti, was bombed to death while she was cooking for her children. They
also cut open the stomachs of pregnant women while they buried other innocent
people alive.
page 7
Immediately after independence, they attempted the first coup in Ghana when R.R.
Amponsah and Modesto Apaloo, in 1958, tried to overthrow the Nkrumah government.
In the 1960s, they staged a wave of bomb-throwing campaigns in this country resulting
in the killing of several innocent people, including school children.
The lady, whose picture is seen below, was thirteen years old when the forbears of the
NPP bombed her while she was on a parade march with other children in 1964 at the
Accra Sports Stadium. She lost her left leg and her right foot is wasting away.
Madam Asantewaah
currently lives in Dansoman, Accra
To anyone who may ask why we are
reminding Ghanaians of these, we refer them
to the assertion of Martin Luther King Jr. that
“History will have to record that the
greatest tragedy of this period of social
transition was not the strident clamour
of the bad people, but the appalling
silence of the good people.”
We agree with this statement; because we believe that it is when we keep silent over
such matters that we help in making people forget what the true nature of the NPP
people are. Reminding ourselves of those events help us to keep in proper context their
current threats of violence if they do not win the 2012 elections.
page 8
Fathia and two of her children
They also have a penchant for spreading falsehoods to create
disaffection and insecurity in the country when they are not in power.
It is not only President Mills who suffered at their hands with their
serial rumours such that he was dead, or did not have a child or even
that there had been gang rapes on a Yu Tong bus on the Kintampo
road, etc. They did these during the Nkrumah regime (1957-1966) as
well.
We recall that when Sekou Nkrumah was born, the NPP forbears put
out a rumour that Fathia (Sekou's mother) had given birth to a half
snake and half human child. They did this until Nkrumah appeared
with his wife and his newly born child in public.
page 9
Aliu Mahama
Then Vice-President
Over the years, they have accused every government of corruption.
Lest we forget ! On 30 July 2002, this is what Vice President Aliu Mahama
said at an NPP rally: “We did not go into government because of money;
we already have our own houses, Mercedes Benzes and Pajeros. We have
not come to steal government's money,” And to this Courage Quashigah,
then Minister of Agriculture added: that the NPP leaders and appointees
had their own houses before winning power.
Picture of the Hairdressing Salon
in London where the NPP were
going for a US$1 billion loan.
Yet between 2001 and 2008, they went on a looting spree. They stole
government Benzes and limousines, bungalows and prime lands in
Kumasi and Accra meant for public servants. The current NPP Chairman,
Jake Okanta Obetsebi Lamptey, bought the bungalow he lived in as
Minister; Dr. Frimpong Boateng bought the bungalow he was allocated
as head of Korle-Bu Heart Department, ex- President John Agyekum
Kufuor took over a government mansion for himself. The list is endless.
Even the so-called affordable houses they claimed to be building for
public servants, they shared among themselves.
page 10
On corruption, they went so wild that they began to engage in 419
scams. For example, they invented companies and pretended that Ghana
was going to collect loans from those very ghost companies. The idea
was to make the government pay upfront fees such as “commitment
fees”, “premiums”, “arrangement fees” “management fees” etc; so that
they would, in the end, say that the loan did not materialise. They knew
that, by that time, the government would already have paid those fees
into their own bank accounts. That is why when the vigilant people of
Ghana tried to trace some of these companies, one of them was found
to have had its address to be a hairdressing salon in Hammersmith,
London. Do you remember the scandal about the CNTCI loan which
some Ministers and hired “senior” journalists said it was genuine?
We must not forget that when the CNTCI scandal broke in 2004, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, the
NPP Finance Minister stated that everything was genuine and that the loan was surely
coming. Later when it became clear that the whole thing was a 419 scam, the same Mr.
Osafo-Maafo turned round to save his own scheme when he said that he was not
personally involved in arranging the scam.
We must not also forget that, even before the CNTCI scandal, the NPP had tried to
defraud the country by asking parliament to approve of a loan they claimed was coming
from a fake company they called International Finance Consortium (IFC). In doing so,
they thought they could deceive Ghanaians by making us think that the phony loan
was coming from the World Bank affiliated International Finance Corporation (IFC). In
fact, the NPP's “Mr. Document” claimed that their fake Consortium was affiliated to the
World Bank. Then the World Bank came out to say that they did not know of the bogus
NPP consortium. Unfortunately for the NPP 419 schemers, it was soon found out that
the address of their IFC was a hardware shop in the United States.
In the various pages of this booklet, we will remind ourselves and the good people of
Ghana of these and other numerous ways in which the NPP duped the people of Ghana.
We shall not go to sleep anymore over the misdeeds of the NPP. We do not want to
wake up in 2013 and blame ourselves that we remained silent for the NPP to sneak
back again to continue their looting of this country.
page 11
In December 2012, if we allow ourselves to forget, we the people of Ghana stand the
risk of “repeating” the unfortunate happenings in our history of 2001-2008 when the
NPP came to rule this country and looted the state resources to build hotels for their
children, grab government bungalows and other state lands meant for government
use, supervised the killing of the Ya-Na and 40 of his elders as well as the murder of the
Northern Regional Chairman of the CPP, Alhaji Issa Mobila in a military barracks in
Tamale, etc. If we vote for them, then it means we have NOT learned our history!
Remembering what the NPP is capable of, will properly inform us what the proper
choice should be when we go to the polls in December 2012. Socrates once remarked
that “the unexamined life is not worth living”.
page 12
... then
7 January 2001
Under my administration, there will be
zero tolerence of corruption; and I would
personally set the example
page 13
and now ...
What do they except me to do
about corruption ? After all, it’s a sin that
dates as far back as the time of
Adam and Eve
page 14
Chapter 1
IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE CORRUPTION AND LOOTING
A FRAUDULENT PARTY
THE IFC SCAM
As soon as the NPP assumed power in January 2001, they abandoned all the “huhudious”
promises that they made to the people in 2000. Instead, they set off along the path of
the real aim that had spurred them on to be fighting all these years to be in government.
Just as their ex-President, Mr. J.A. Kufuor is known to have said in the house of Professor
Adu Boahen, they are in politics not to fight for the welfare of the people of Ghana,
especially if, in the process, they became martyrs; and that they are in politics to make
money for themselves, their families and friends.
True to form, the NPP immediately increased the price of petrol by 64% (on 23rd February
2001) to increase the hardship of Ghanaians at a time when they were planning to rip
off the rest of the people with their fraudulent loans.
By 2002, their first 419 scheme had been put in place, with the claim that the NPP
government was going to take a loan of US$1 billion from a company. The reality was
that the NPP was indeed plotting to swindle the country.
They signed an agreement with a ghost company that they called International Finance
Consortium (IFC). The choice of this name was significant because it enabled the NPP
to claim that their phony IFC was affiliated to the World Bank. In fact, at a press conference
organised by the NPP on 10th July 2002, Nana Ohene Ntow, the NPP Government
Spokesperson on Finance (and later NPP General-Secretary), claimed that their “IFC”
was accredited to the World Bank and the IMF. At that press conference, Mr. Dan Botwe,
then the NPP's General Secretary, stated that those who were saying that their IFC was
fake, were “evil forces”. This prompted the Country Director of the World Bank to issue
a statement the same day to say that they did not know about the NPP's International
Finance Consortium (IFC) and that the World Bank had no connection with the fake
company. (Source:
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=25549 culled
from original source GRi.
page 15
Then in an official statement issued by the World Bank on 12th July 2002, the Bank
stated “Some reports have recently appeared in the Ghanaian press suggesting that
the International Finance Consortium, with which the Government of Ghana is
negotiating a US$1 billion loan agreement, is an institution that is “recognized” by the
World Bank. This is incorrect as the World Bank has no dealings with, nor direct knowledge
of the International Finance Consortium. In particular, we would like to point out that
the International Finance Consortium is not connected in any way to the International
Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector lending arm of the World Bank Group. We
are pursuing inquiries with the Ghanaian authorities about the details of this possible
transaction.” (Source:
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=25638)
That was how the NPP 419ers began to retreat in their tracks.
Dan Botwe: People opposing the IFC loan scam are evil forces
In their half-retreat, Mr. Osafo Maafo, (at the time, the NPP Minister of Finance) amended
their original claim. This is how the Daily Graphic carried the news on this issue on 15th
July 2002:
“The Finance Minister explained that the IFC is a consortium of reputable companies with
varying backgrounds. (Retreating from the World Bank claim)
page 16
He said the loan is a concessionary one and it comes from the profits of these large corporate
bodies which form the consortium, adding that “these firms are more committed to the
provision of social amenities”.
He said Ghana is not the only country the IFC has granted such a credit facility. He mentioned
South Africa and some countries in Eastern Europe as beneficiaries of IFC loans.
On his part, the Senior Minister, Mr. J. H. Mensah, indicated that the loan agreement with
the IFC does not mean that the government has lost confidence in the International Monetary
Fund and the World Bank.
He said the decision to take advantage of the IFC loan is in the best interest of the country
under the present circumstances where most infrastructures are in very deplorable conditions.”
As the drama of the fake loan unfolded, Ghanaweb was following the events. We wish
to remind people of the dossier of the NPP's phony loan scam as appeared in the
Ghanaian press.
5th July 2002- NPP In $1 Billion "419" Scam
10th July 2002- Minority Demands Report On IFC From Governor of Bank of Ghana
10th July 2002- Loan agreement is a scam -NDC
11th July 2002- IFC is a consortium of exceptional repute - NPP Dan Botwe
11th July 2002 - We do not have information on IFC - World Bank to GRi
11th July 2002 - We Have No Agreement With IFC - World Bank to JoyFM
12th July 2002- Gov't Modifies Loan Agreement With IFC
13th July 2002- Parliament Approves Controversial IFC Loan
14th July 2002- IFC Loan: MEMORANDUM TO PARLIAMENT
15th July 2002- World Bank statement on IFC
15th July 2002- IFC is a consortium of reputable companies -Osafo-Maafo
18th July 2002- NDC Still Dissatisfied With IFC Loan
29th July 2002- Interview with Horst "IFC" Schneider (The NPP got a person they
called “Schneider” who told JoyFM that the loan was genuine)
2nd August 2002- Govt concludes agreement on IFC loan
5th August 2002- Tale of the tape: IFC & Gallen; Bahamas & Cayman Islands
8th August 2002- A-G's Dep't Never Worked On "IFC" Loan -- Lawyer
page 17
Ghana Palaver sources at the Attorney General's Department have confirmed that the
NPP Government never sent the US$1 Billion loan agreement with the so-called
International Finance Consortium or "IFC" to the Department to be worked on.
"The whole thing was worked at the political level, and the first time anyone at the
Attorney General's Department knew about it was when we read about it in the Ghana
Palaver", said one obviously embarrassed but irritated very senior Government lawyer
at the Civil Division of the Department. The Government lawyer continued: "Given the
terms of the agreement, the conditionalities and even the drafting style, there is no
way it could have been the product of this Department. It makes us all look so bad, as
if we do not know what we are about", the lawyer concluded, speaking to this paper
on conditions of extreme anonymity.
23rd August 2002- IFC Is NOT IFC
26th August 2002- Finance Minister To Reveal Details Of IFC Loan
2nd September 2002- IFC loan: Due diligence was shoddy - Dr. Henry Kwasi Prempeh,
1st October 2002- FOOL'S GOLD: The IFC $1,000,000,000,000 Mirage
1st. August 2002- UN Disclaims IFC $1b Loan Claim
1st August 2002- IFC Fallout: 4 Ghanaians Sit On Illusory Trust Fund
3rd. August 2002- Don't panic over IFC loan - Amponsah-Bediako
4th August 2002- No cause to withdraw from IFC loan negotiations - JA Kufuor
29th August 2002- Shocking revelations on "IFC" loan
4th November 2002- IFC Loan Still Expected - Gov't
12 November 2002- IFC Loan: Gov't to issue statement
22nd November 2002- Govt Has Abandoned IFC Loan - Kweku Baako
25th November 2002- Why We "Took" IFC Loan? NPP
26th November 2002- Gov't Finally Gives Up on IFC Loan
28th November 2002- IFC Negotiators Must Resign - Prof Mills
While all these were going on, the NPP-friendly radio stations and newspapers were
insisting that the loan was genuine. Are we surprised by their current behaviour? It was
finally found out that the address of the NPP IFC was a hardware shop in the United
States of America. Today, if you try to search for a website called “International Finance
Consortium” on the web, you will not find it.
page 18
THE CNTCI SCAM
Just over one year after the NPP were shamed to concede that they nearly took Ghana
for a gargantuan ride regarding the IFC loan, the NPP dreamt up yet another scam. This
time, they claimed that the loan (US$300 million) was coming from“reputable” Chinese
Company.
It soon turned out that the address of CNTCI was a hairdressing salon in Hammersmith,
London.
The address on the Loan Agreement (150 Hammersmith Road, London W6 7JZ, was
different from the address of their trading office in Cardiff, Wales. It was found out that
this trading office was indeed a Chinese Take Away Shop.
Once again, we cannot forget how the various radio stations, without checking any
facts, claimed that the loan was genuine.
THE DOSSIER ON THE CNTCI LOAN READS AS FOLLOWS:
30th April 2004-NDC Cautions Gov't On Another Financial Scam
11th May 2004- Govt Heads For Another IFC Like Embarrassment
11th May 2004- $300 Million Loan From Hairdressing Salon?
17th May 2004- Saloon Loan Saga: Ministers Deceived Parliament
18th May 2004- Chinese Salon Loan: Gizelle Yajzi Speaks
RADIO GOLD INTERVIEW WITH
MS. GIZELLE YAJZI ON THE US$300 MILLION CNT LOAN
RG:
Hello Good Morning, Hello
GY:
Hello Good Morning
RG:
Good Morning Madam. How are you?
GY:
How are you Mr. Acquah?
RG:
Not too bad. Madam, well, you are an international consultant to lots of
Governments globally and you have been an adviser to the Government of
Ghana on finance, specifically to Minister Yaw Osafo-Maafo. Well, currently there
is this talk about -- there is this ongoing talk about this US$300 million loan from
CNT Group Holdings Ltd and everybody is wondering who this lender is and if
really it is possible and what I want to find out from you is that if you have even
page 19
heard that Ghana is going to access a US$300 million loan from CNT Group
Holdings Ltd.
GY:
Excuse me, I couldn't hear exactly but I can imagine your question was what I
think about the loan you want to ask me?
RG:
Yes Madam.
GY:
Ok. First of all, I am not adviser any more for Ghana. I wanted to clarify that and
second, thank you for asking me my opinion. I have been reading lately about
this loan and I think it has a lot of questions but I am sure the Honourable Minister
of Finance can clarify them because I cannot first of all understand why a private
company or a private investor will give to Ghana US$300 million at a rate of
0.65%, if I am not wrong, for a period of 30 years with10 years grace period. It
doesn't make sense for a private investor to give and bear low rate money to
Ghana and it makes it a little bit suspicious because nobody is going to lose
making work with money.
Second of all, I think they make a pool of Companies somehow, correct me
because maybe I am missing something here because one of the Companies is
an offshore Company and I am sure that the Minister of Finance is not going to
go through any agreement with an offshore company because as you know, an
offshore company does not have,--you don't not know who is the owner, you
cannot trace them anywhere in the world and this is even against the new
international law, as you know, to fight against terrorism, laundering, these kinds
of Companies are having big trouble all over the world.
19th May 2004- Chinese Salon Loan: Govt's Goofs
20th May 2004- Chinese Salon Loan: $300m from 16x10 feet saloon
20th May 2004- Chinese Salon Loan: Scotland Yard to Investigate?
21st May 2004- Chinese Salon Loan: Another Scandal
24th May 2004- China Railways Disowns CNT Investment
24th May 2004- Chinese Salon Loan : CNTCI Address Puzzle
24th May 2004- Daily Guide and Kweku Baako's fake Documents
This was in The Daily Guide newspaper
“Until Saturday almost the whole of Ghana was resigned to the news that Ghana has
been embarrassed by a fraudulent company, promising to give us a fake loan from a
hairdressing saloon in London.
page 20
“But that was before Mr. Kweku Baako, Editor-In-Chief of the Crusading Guide, went
the extra mile to do a thorough research on the $300million loan facility from the China
New Techniques and Construction Investment Ltd. (CCNTI).
“Mr. Baako indicated that all information about the CNTCI and its major shareholders
can be easily accessed from the Registrar at the company's house, Cardiff, (Wales) by
anybody who is serious, and wishes to find out the facts.
“According to Baako, he had his own and with his personal resources, spoken to the
Ghana Embassy in China, representatives of the company in Hong Kong, London and
the United States of America, and had assistance from an international investigative
organization that he has been associated with, to fish out the facts on an issue which
has taken centre stage for the past few days.
“He expressed regret that it is bad journalistic practices for someone to merely go and
stand by the Hammersmith block and speak to a hairdresser, and after this claim that
this is the company's offices, arguing to the effect that this is not a good way to conduct
investigation into such an important national matter. The loan is to among other things,
develop Ghana's railway network.....
“Baako's presentation at the Newsfile appears to have silenced the critics and put the
ball squarely in the court of the critics to salvage their image, or put their tails in between
their legs”
25th May 2004- The Castle Is Closed: Direct All Enquiries To Baako & Dumor
26th May 2004- China Railways Official Challenges Authenticity Of Crusading Guide
Documents
26th May 2004- CNT Loan is a Disgrace To Government
27th May 2004- Salon Loan Saga: CNT Not A Chinese Govt Company
28th May 2004- Osafo-Maafo Simply Must Go - UK CPP
28th May 2004- How NPP Nearly Stole $9 Million
28th May 2004- CNT Loan is a fraud - Chinese Embassy Official
31st May 2004- We have no loan for Ghana - CNT
31st May 2004- Playing Possum With A $300m Sham
31st May 2004- $300m Loan Controversy Takes New Turn
3rd June 2004- Osafo-Maafo Defends CNTCI Loan
3rd June 2004- D-Day On CNTCI: Osafo-Maafo To Answer Critics
4th June 2004- Deputy Editor Attacked By "Govt Agents"
4th June 2004- CNCTI Loan Is Genuine - Government
4th June 2004- Chinese Salon Loan: Contradictions?
page 21
7th June 2004- Controversy Over $300m Loan Refuses To Die
8th June 2004- Finance Minister did not address main issues of CNT loan - CPP
9th June 2004- CNT/CNTCI loan is a mirage - NDC
9th June 2004- CNT $300M Loan- Hand It Back?
9th June 2004- NDC Press Conference On CNT/CNTCI
9th June 2004- CNTCI Office: Expecting $300 Million from Here?
11th June 2004-Parliament to debate CNT loan
11th June 2004-Kufour, Veto CNTCI Loan Deal
15th June 2004-Kufuor Knows Loan Is A Scam -Bagbin
17th June 2004-Bagbin Dares President Kufuor
29th June 2004-CNT Loan Amendment is an indictment on the Govt
29th June 2004-US$300 million CNT/CI Scam Loan ... NPP Beats a Retreat!
30th June 2004-Parliament rejects minority motion on CNT
30th June 2004-CNTI Loan: Minority gets tough
2nd July 2004-The NPP Finally Buries Accountability - CPP
6th July 2004- Gov't Indicted Over "Chinese Barber Loan"
5th July 2004- Where's the CNTCI Loan?
27th January 2005- 'Chinese Barber Loan' is coming - Kyeremanten
27th January 2005- Minister blames media for sabotaging "fake" loans )
20th January 2007- I Was Not Responsible For IFC, CNTCI Scam Loans - Osafo-Maafo
17th May 2007- NPP in another 419 Scam?
2007: YET ANOTHER LOAN SCAM - AFFORDABLE HOUSING
The NPP were undaunted and unashamed even after these two scandals. In 2007, they
tried another scam by claiming to take a “loan” for what they called was “affordable
housing”. They even went ahead and signed a memorandum of understanding with a
US based company called Global Interest LLC for the construction of about 15,000
houses. When the eagle eyes of the Lens newspaper zoomed in on the company and
checked from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts it came out that the company
was not even in good standing.
Global Interest LLC, at the time had been placed in the category of “Not in Good
Standing” by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts because the company had not
been able to honour its Tax Requirements. Soon after, we did not hear of Global Interest
LLC anymore.
The people in the NPP who led all these scams are still in control of the party. If between
2002 and 2007 they were not deterred by the exposures of their fiddles, what shows
that they have changed in 2012.
Lest we forget.
page 22
Chapter 2
WHAT THE AUDITOR-GENERAL SAID ABOUT NPP CORRUPTION
The NPP stated in their 1996 Manifesto under Chapter One, Section 1.1.10 thus:
“The repeated shameful and incredible revelations contained in the
Auditor-General's Reports provide ample evidence of the corruption
of the (P)NDC and the hollowness of their principles of accountability,
probity and integrity!”
What this statement of the NPP means is that any revelations of acts of corruption
contained in reports of the Auditor-General should be taken as evidence of corruption
on the part of the ruling government. We totally agree with the NPP on this point. In
this chapter, we have decided to apply this NPP principle to the performance of the
NPP in government, between 2001 and 2008.
When we say the NPP has a looting mentality, the NPP say we are lying. Well! The
following pages contain only a few of the findings of the Auditor-General over the
period when the NPP was in power. The Auditor-General is responsible for reporting
on how governments spend our monies. The Auditor-General is supposed to be
independent of government control. However, when the NPP came to power, they
appointed the Auditor-General of the Republic of Ghana. Even in the face of that, these
are some of the things that the Auditor-General found about corruption during the
NPP regime.
If the NPP says that you should not believe us, at least you will believe the report of
their own Auditor-General. If you have any doubts, phone the Auditor-General's
Department on the number below.
page 23
Nana Akufo Addo in 2012
At The Kwame Nkrumah University Of Science and Technology, Kumasi
I have never been cited
for Corruption
Well, turn onto the next page for the truth.
page 24
Auditor-General of Ghana's Report of 2005 on what happened
at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when Nana Akufo-Addo
was Foreign Minister:
US $1,446,396 cash was withdrawn from
the Ministry's special collections accounts
of seven Embassies without the knowledge
of the Controller and Accountant - General”.
is such a person
TRUSTWORTHY ?
page 25
The following is only a summary:
1. When Nana Akufo Addo was Foreign Minister, US$1,446,396 cash was withdrawn
from the Ministry's Special Collections Accounts of seven embassies without the
knowledge of the Controller and Accountant-General.
2. In addition, US$106,168 was misappropriated at Ghana's Embassy in Cote D'Ivoire
3. Contrary to financial regulations, ¢3,539,254,000 was diverted from the Ministry
of Trade, Industry, Private Sector Development and Presidential Special Initiatives
to Ghana Trade Fair Company. (Alan Kyeremanten was the Minister)
4. The same Ministry took monies amounting to ¢995,398,812 with the claim that
they were used to buy cloths to promote some “National Friday Wear Programme”.
They claimed that these were distributed for free. However, there is no evidence of
the persons or organizations that were given these garments since there was no
distribution list.
5. Under Alan Kyeremanten again, the National Plastic Waste Management Task Force
(NPWMTF), under the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Private Sector Development and
Presidential Special Initiatives, withdrew ¢234,943,000 in cash from the Ghana
Commercial Bank High Street. They failed to account for ¢68,021,375 of the amount;
yet there were no questions asked.
6. Between 2002 and May 2005, one Mr. Victor Owusu was unlawfully paid emoluments
totalling ¢122,034,500 in his capacity as Regional Co-ordinator of the Rural Enterprise
Development Programme. At the same time he was paid as a full-time employee
of the Ghana Energy Commission.
7. Contrary to the rules, the Ghana Trade Fair Company was single-sourced and awarded
a contract for ¢1,438,038,201, under Alan Kyeremanten.
8. In Kumasi, fifty-one cheques amounting to ¢4.4 billion (¢4,371,312,205) which
were written in favour of IRS for the payment of withholding taxes were altered to
read variously as I.R.Samuel and Sons Ltd, J.R Samuel and Sons Ltd or I.R. Service
Ltd and the amount subsequently cashed and misappropriated.
9. Under the Ministry of Education, an amount totalling ¢298,831,561 that was claimed
to have been paid to various people, contractors and suppliers were not supported
with the necessary expenditure documents. It was therefore not possible to determine
the genuineness of the payments.
10. Under the Ministry of Transportation where Richard Anane was Minister, the
Department of Urban Roads in Kumasi failed to present for audit, vouchers for
page 26
payments totalling ¢13 billion that they claimed they made to contractors. The
propriety of the payments could therefore not be ascertained.
11. Under the same Richard Anane, Ghana Highways Authority in Accra paid mobilization
allowances amounting to ¢13.1 billion to various Ghanaians to undertake jobs for
the Government, which were not done. Contrary to the rules they had not been
recovered as at end of December 2005.
12. Under Richard Anane again, a contract amounting to ¢10.96 billion was varied to
¢12.78 billion without going through the Central Tender Board; losing the country
¢1.82 billion.
We can go on and on. However, it may be enough for us to give you a summary from
only eight Ministries.
Monies lost through corruption,
Maladministration and Inefficiency
Ministry
Ministry of Health
¢31,417,231,229
Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning
¢236,907,782,237
Ministry of Education Science and Sports
¢2,375,185,972
Ministry of Interior
¢6,327,891,167
Ministry of Transportation
¢152,647,353,051
Ministry of Trade and Industry, Public Sector Debt and PSI
¢7,288,843,002
Ministry of Tourism and Diasporan Relations
¢2,228,292,200
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and NEPAD
¢1,621,435,821
TOTAL
¢440,814,014,679
1. The Ministries, Departments and Agencies failed to provide periodic returns on the
Departmental Advances and Departmental Revolving Fund.
There were cases where amounts spent or in arrears in the Public Accounts Statements
were not disclosed to the Auditor-General (Page 39). The Auditor-General stated:
“My examination indicated that in 2006, payments for road-arrears and non-road
arrears amounting to ¢73,247,014,157 and ¢99,109,114,296 respectively were
affected. However, these payments which at the close of 2005 were liabilities of the
Consolidated Fund were not disclosed in the 2005 Public Accounts Financial
Statements”.
page 27
2. Non-Adherence of the Law on GETFUND and NHIS Funding
Huge sums of monies that were supposed to be transferred into the GETFUND
were not transferred. Where did the monies go? As at the end of 2006, the total
amount owed the NHIS by the government totaled ¢145.9 billion.
Whereas monies deducted for the NHIS from the NHI Levy (¢1,157,038,616,444)
and SSF contributions (¢319,837,811,314) amounted to ¢1,476,876,427,757, the
government transferred only ¢1,228,211,632,357. What happened to the difference
of ¢248,664,795,400?
As if these were not enough, in 2007 there were even more acts of corruption.
1. The Auditor-General found out that the NPP government failed to declare the correct
amounts of monies collected by the Revenue Collecting Agencies, including the
Internal Revenue Service, Customs Excise and Preventive Service , and the VAT
Service.
Whereas the Revenue Collecting Agencies paid to the government a total of
¢30,833,338,833,300 (GH¢3,083,333,883.33) the NPP government only declared
¢30,714,453,992,200 (GH¢3,071,445,399.22), concealing an amount of
¢118,884,840,500 (GH¢11,888,484.05). Where did it go? Na sika no koo hen?
2. Direct Debit Transfers not confirmed - (GH¢286.2 million)
Contrary to Section 19(4) of the Financial Administration Act which states that “every
head of department shall ensure a record is kept of cheques or other instruments
issued under the direction of that department”, Direct Debit Transfers totaling
¢2,861,830,920,000 (GH¢ 286,183,092) made on overseas travels and purchases by
Controller and Accountant General's Department on behalf of 10 Ministries,
Departments and Agencies could not be traced in the Treasury Records of the related
Ministries, Departments And Agencies.
The Ministries are:
page 28
Amount
Old Cedi Equivalent
GH¢167,844,390
¢1,678,443,900,000
Ministry of Education, Science and Sports
GH¢46,941,481
¢469,414,810,000
Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning
GH¢23,011,481
¢230,114,810,000
Ministry of Interior
GH¢19,160,452
¢191,604,520,000
Ministry of Health
GH¢28,787,829
¢287,878,290,000
GH¢65,877
¢658,770,000
GH¢282,291
¢2,822,910,000
GH¢86,787
¢867,870,000
GH¢1,587
¢15,870,000
GH¢917
¢9,170,000
GH¢286,183,092
¢2,861,830,920,000
Ministry
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Lands and Forestry and Mines
Ministry of Energy
Ministry of Youth Manpower
and Employment
Ministry of Women and Children Affairs
Ministry of Tourism and Diasporan Relations
TOTAL
3. ¢161.7 billion got lost somewhere between the Public Accounts and the
Ministries, Departments and Agencies' Treasuries.
There were substantial discrepancies totaling ¢161,660,380,000 (GH¢16,166,038)
between the expenditure figures disclosed in the Public Accounts and that of the
accounts of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies. Although the government
claimed to have released a total of ¢531,856,210,000 (GH¢53,185,621) to those
Ministries, the Ministries actually received only ¢370,195,830,000 (GH¢37,019,583).
4. Inadequate disclosure of 12.5% SSF payments (GH¢17.4 million).
(GH¢23.1milion for 2006 not disclosed either)
The Auditor-General found that total payment of ¢1,330,000,000,000 (GH¢133
million) in respect of 12.5% Social Security Fund to SSNIT, and ¢230,732,473,800
(GH¢23,073,247.38) which was for 2006 deductions were not disclosed in the
accounts. He also noted that an outstanding balance of ¢173,817,280,000
(GH¢17,381,728) as at 31 December 2007 was similarly not disclosed in the accounts.
5. Unsubstantiated Cash Balance of ¢14,678,579,290,000 (GH¢1,467,857,929)
The Auditor-General reported that cash balance of ¢14,678,579,290,000
(GH¢1,467,857,929) representing the total Consolidated Fund Bank/cash balance
was not supported with a schedule that agreed with the balance.
page 29
The total balance of ¢9,511,579,240,300 (GH¢951,157,924.03) on a schedule of
cash/bank accounts obtained from the Public Accounts Section did not agree with
the reported cash balance, revealing a difference of ¢5,167,000,049,700
(GH¢516,700,004.97).
The Auditor-General noted that “no bank reconciliation statements were prepared
on major bank accounts to confirm the accuracy or otherwise of the balances”.
What is worse, there were no cash book balances to reconcile government spending
in the following Bank of Ghana Accounts: A/C No. 0121360014004; A/C No.
0121360014007; A/C No. 0121360014039.
6. Funds owed to the GETFund were not being paid into the GETFund Account. Contrary
to claims by the government that there were no arrears owed the GETFund, the
Auditor-General noted in the 2007 Report that there were no records to show that
the NPP government transferred those monies: (Page Paragraph 207-210).
The Insight: 11th December 2008
page 30
These are only a tip of the iceberg
1. The Ministry of Trade and Industry, Public Sector Development and PSI (under
Alan Kyeremanten) did a 419 when they opened a new account at Accra Barclays
Bank High Street, removed GH¢2 billion from the Ministry's main account into the
new account, and when the money had accrued an interest of GH¢7.8 million, they
withdrew the GH¢2million making substantial profits for this outlandish account.
2. Two private enterprises in the garment industry that were given grants totalling
GH¢288,000 to undertake capacity building abandoned the projects and no attempt
was made to recover the monies.
3. Cash irregularities amounted to GH¢286,241 and US$13,485. These were in respect
of misappropriation of the proceeds of tender documents, disbursements from
revenue collected, etc
4. The NPP government misapplied an amount of GH¢600,000 out of GH¢2,150,000,
voted for the Ministry of Harbours and Railways for the payment of end-of service
benefits for 674 retrenched railway workers.
5. Under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, an amount of ¤76,761 which was transferred
to the Copenhagen Mission on 2 August 2006, could not be traced into the Mission's
accounts
6. Under the Customs, Excise and Preventative Service, GH¢13,655,166 of Port
clearance short collections could not be traced. Ex-warehousing short collections
amounted to GH¢2,694,454.
7. 28 Peugeot cars imported into the country by Prestige Motor Company Ltd were
allowed to be cleared by the NPP without the payment of taxes totaling
GH¢219,276.36 although they had no exemption certificates from the Minister.
8. The NPP government acquired the Barnett building, near Busy Internet, Accra, for
the VAT Service at a whopping amount of GH¢874,154 and rehabilitated it at a
cost of GH¢2,387,216 although there were only 11 years on the lease and there
was a possibility that the lease may not be extended
9. Three Oil Marketing Companies (belonging to some NPP supporters) that reneged
on their scheduled payment plan to the tune of GH¢2,768,908 were not asked for
guarantees and were not paying their debts while Ministry of Finance sat there
doing nothing. We wonder why !
10. As much as GH¢183.2 million of loans received by the NPP in 2008 from foreign
governments and institutions were not disclosed in the Public Accounts. Those
loans were from the following sources:
page 31
Creditor
Amount Recieved (GHS)
Germany
15,745,281.51
Africa Development Bank
54,597,947.03
World Bank
98,697,942.34
France (AFD)
14,112,428.55
TOTAL
183,153,599.46
Where did all those monies go?
11. That was not all. Workers' SSNIT contributions amounting to GH¢108.6 million was
not disclosed in the Public Accounts and yet they did not say where the money had
gone.
12. Sometimes, the NPP government would claim that a specified amount of funds
have been transferred to the Ministries. However when the accounts of those
Ministries were checked, it was found out that the monies they received were less
than the amount the Castle claimed to have transferred. Here are a few of the ways
that the NPP made monies vanish between the Castle and the Ministries.
MDAs visited
G.E.S Headquarters
Mins of Finance and
Economic Planning
Mins of Harbour
and Railways
Moneys
Received by the
MDA (GHS)
Monies Castle
claimed to have
sent to
MDA (GHS)
Difference(GHS)
7,314,163.53
9,514,690.00
2,200,526.47
5,989,686.47
5,438,843.00
-550,843.47
1,324,477.06
3,093,382.00
1,768,904.94
0.00
982,465.00
982,465.00
16,353,331.84
102,649,472.00
86,296,140.16
12,483,428.48
19,161,952.00
6,678,523.52
1,068,291.77
8,969,325.00
7,901,033.23
2,801,611.59
74,518,195.00
71,716,583.41
2,240,447.27
2,478,233.00
237,785.73
602,872.10
1,261,003.00
658,130.90
147,891.00
110,697.00
-37,194.00
1,489,684.17
1,106,533.00
-383,151.17
page 32
Furthermore, between 2007 and 2008, cash that was stolen in the Ministries alone
amounted to GH¢496.5 million. (See 2008 Auditor-General's Report Page 3)
Yet these are the people who, in 2012 are talking about corruption.
The Insight: 15th-16th October 2008
page 33
Chapter 3
MORE CORRUPTION
GHANA INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATIONS- 2007
THE GHANA@50 PILLAGE
We cannot forget the way the NPP used the Ghana@50 cerebrations as an excuse to
ransack the coffers of the country. President Kufuor set up a Cabinet sub-Committee,
headed by his trusted chief of Staff, Mr. Kwadwo Mpianim to plan and oversee the
organization and implementation of the activities of the celebrations.
Then Kufuor appointed Dr. Charles Wireko-Brobbey of the NPP as the Chief Executive
Officer of the Secretariat of the Ghana@50 celebrations. The stage was then set for the
looting.
When the government set up a Commission of Enquiry set up to investigate the
management of the celebrations, the findings were devastating.
Although at the end of the events, Dr. Wireko-Brobbey and his team had spent GH¢97.8
million on the event, many of the projects had not been completed. For example,
Jubilee Rest stops and toilets on which the NPP claimed to have sunk millions of Ghana
Cedis were not completed or done at all. The mansions that they built to house AU were
defective. In spite of this, contractors were still owed more than GH¢12 million. In
addition, the Ghana@50 Secretariat owed the Fidelity Bank GH¢15.4 million with monies
that they distributed in contracts for top NPP leaders and their relatives for the furnishing
of those mansions. DO you know what these NPP profiteers did? Having got the
expensive contracts, they in turn hired wayside carpenters and masons to do the
botched jobs.
Although Parliament approved of a total of GH¢29.31 million for the celebration, by
the end of the celebration, they had spent GH¢97.8 million with more debts outstanding.
This misbehavior, apart from being against the Constitution raises the question: WHERE
DID ALL THAT MONEY GO?
Like marauders, they spent money waa waa without seeking Parliamentary approval
from Parliament. They took a loan GH¢10 million from Prudential Bank without
Parliamentary approval and shared it.
page 34
They sold lands at La Wireless/Cantonments for more than GH¢1.5 million but could
not explain what they had used the money for. The NPP and Wireko-Brobbey scraped
GH¢10 million out of the coffers of SSNIT without Parliamentary approval. AND WHERE
DID THE MONEY GO? They will not tell us, and they have the audacity to make claims
in 2012 that the NDC is taking SSNIT funds. WHERE DID THE SSNIT MONIES, TAKEN
FOR GHANA@50 GO? NPP leaders should tell Ghanaians.
THE NPP bought 300 luxury cars for the celebrations without approval. What is worse,
they shared some of those vehicles among themselves after the event.
These were not all. Earlier the Auditor-General, in 2008, had found extremely disturbing
looting by the NPP government.
Part of the report stated: “an amount of GH¢5,585,000.00 was paid directly to M/S
Jospong Limited by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning for the supply of
souvenirs. The payment was made on the directives of a letter No. SCR.A 08/28 of
15/4/07 from the office of the President. We further noted that this payment did not
reflect in any of the Secretariat' six sank accounts”.
A contract for the planting of grass at the AU village to a contractor they called Eden
Creation cost the country GH¢1,740,595.100. The company called Jospong was
deliberately overpaid for the supply of souvenirs by GH¢16,620,156,000
The list is endless. Are these the people who want us to entrust the nation's finances
to them again?
WHERE DID THE MONIES FOR THE GHANA@50 GO?
THE LOOTING OF THE NHIS
When the NPP stated that they were implementing a National Health Insurance Scheme
(NHIS) to ensure affordable health care for the ordinary people, little did Ghanaians
expect that the monies collected from the ordinary people would be used by the NPP
government to enrich themselves and their friends.
In 2006, the Auditor-General undertook an audit of the National Health Insurance
Scheme covering the period January to September 2005. What the Auditor-General
was mind-boggling. The report revealed evidence of fraud, subterfuge, thieving and
disregard of the Procurement Act 2003.
In November 2004, a company, called Axis' Advertising Agency Ltd, and owned by Ms.
Oboshie Sai Cofie, then Minister of Tourism and Diasporan Affairs (and a very close
page 35
confidante of ex-President J.A. Kufuor), was awarded a media consultancy contract
to monitor and revise media campaign and advertisement. Axis Advertising was sole
sourced by National Health Insurance Council (NHIC) as media consultant. However,
two companies, Media Plus and Media Touch Production Ltd (where Ms. Oboshie-Sai
Coffie was also a director) "were also contracted by the council to post advertisement
at various media houses. These two companies also charged agency service
fees/commission, totaling ¢359,925,286 for the same services provided by Axis
Advertising Ltd." Talk about contract for the Ministers.
In another twist, Adams Advertising Ltd. won a contract for the manufacture and
installation of 123 outdoor billboards at a cost of ¢2,271,204,000. Adams Advertising,
which has no capacity or ability to undertake such a contract, turned round and
subcontracted the job to DDP at a cost of ¢1,854,409,500. If the contract had been
awarded directly to DDP, the scheme would have saved an amount of ¢296,206,650.
Mr. Foster-Forson, then financial consultant and Mr. Kofi Adusei, Scheme Cocoordinator of the National Health Insurance Council (NHIC) "on 31st August falsely
certified the receipt of 123 billboards to be mounted countrywide." The audit revealed
that only 19 out of the 123 billboards were erected, yet 50% of the contract price,
equivalent to ¢1,135,602,000 was paid to Adams Advertising Ltd.
Contrary to the Procurement Act 663, the NHIC, although had not set up the requisite
structures, went ahead to procure various items worth ¢12,296,607,329. The NHIC
applied sole sourcing procurement method for these purchases. Additionally the NHIC
did not refer the contracts which are over ¢2.0 billion to the Ministry of Health as the
law requires
Again, the NHIC awarded ¢7,583,324,600 of the NHIS advertising campaign contract to
Media Plus Ltd and ¢1,969,476,940 to Media Touch Production Ltd (where Oboshie was
Director). Out of the NHIC contract for media work, etc, a whopping ¢9,552,801,541 or
78.0% went to the two sister companies, Media Plus and Media Touch Production Ltd,
which had powerful NPP as their owners.
The NHIC appointed consultants to undertake tasks for Metropolitan, Municipal and
District Assemblies (MMDA's). Among the consultants awarded contracts were Mr.
Ampong Darkwa and Mr. Kwasi Amo, both members of the Ministry of Health's NPP
Ministerial Taskforce. Mr. Ampong Darkwa established a company, McKof (GH) Ltd,
and was awarded consultancy contracts worth ¢1,332,296,000 by the NHIS. while Mr.
Kwasi Amo also set up a company Organizations and Systems Ltd and also got awarded
consultancy contracts worth ¢1,250,176,000. These two gentlemen used insider
information to win their contracts.
page 36
The Insight: 19 July 2008
The audit report also revealed that ¢102,632,000 was released to McKof (GH) Ltd by
NHIC to provide technical support services to some MMDA's but these services were
never provided even though McKof (GH) Ltd was paid in full. An amount of ¢5,820,000
was also paid to McKof (GH) Ltd for networking of computers for 3 schemes in the
Upper West Region. The audit report states that "those schemes do not exist”. Yet
McKof (GH) Ltd was not made to refund these monies to the NHIC?
At the Ga DMHIS, the company, Organizations and Systems Ltd was paid an additional
¢56,000,000 for installation and maintenance of computerized management information
and control systems even though ¢120,000,000 had earlier been paid to the same
company for the same job.
Although the NPP government passed the Procurement Act 2003, they left gaping
loopholes which they exploited to the full, to avoid complying with it. For example,
when a contract for the procurement of 1,550,000 campaign brochures at a cost of
¢2,112,000,000 it was broken into 8 separate contracts of ¢276,000,000 each. This
enabled the contract to be distributed among 8 NPP companies without any semblance
of fairness, transparency and competitiveness.
We cannot ignore the fact that although 339 officers attended a workshop, 419 officers
signed as having received allowances relating to the training program. An excess amount
totaling ¢97,170,112 to cover transport allowances, accommodation and feeding costs
could not be accounted for.
page 37
We wish to draw your attention to Section 92 of the Public Procurement Act 2003 which
states:
"A person who contravenes a provision of this act commits an offence and where
a penalty is not provided for the offence, the person is liable on conviction to a
fine not exceeding one thousand penalty units or a term of imprisonment not
exceeding 5 years or to both."
Was anybody sent to court for such breaches during the NPP regime? No!
THE TOR DEBT RECOVERY LEVY
In 2003, the NPP government established the Debt Recovery (Tema Oil Refinery
Company) Fund Act (Act 642) to finance the payment of debts incurred by Tema Oil
Refinery Company and interest accruing on those debts. As a result, various levies were
imposed on petroleum products (bought by the public). In addition, Parliament allocated
huge sums into the fund.
Under the Act, the monies assigned to the Fund were supposed to be used only for the
purpose of payment of debts incurred by the Tema Oil Refinery Company and any
interest accruing on those debts.
By the time the NPP left office in 2009, the Fund had collected GH¢720 million. According
to a report by the Centre for Policy Analysis (CEPA), the accumulated debt at TOR in
2002 when the NPP took over, amounted to about GH83.0 million (see CEPA_s Pricing
Petroleum Products in Ghana - The Automatic Formula - Selected Economic Issues No.
5 2003).
Yet at the end of 2010, the TOR debt stood at GH¢2.1 billion. What happened to the
money? The answer is simple. Instead of using the levy to defray the TOR debts, most
of it; and even more from the Divestiture Account, was released to the Ministry of
Information “by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MOFEP) on the
instructions of Mr. Kwabena Adjei-Mensah, who was then Director of Budget at
Ministry of Finance.” Those monies were used by the Ministry of Information (under
Asamoah Boateng) to bribe specified journalists, media houses and serial callers to
support everything that the NPP government did.
The beneficiary groups of these funds operated under different umbrellas and were
described variously as Media Executives, Editors Forum, PRIM, BLOW, GRID, Rapid
Response, and First Responders.
page 38
A report by the Auditor-General in 2008 stated that the release of the GH¢1,500,000.00
from the DIC account in August 2008, was under the instruction of the NPP Deputy
Minister of Finance, Prof. G. Gyan-Baffour; while his other counterpart, Dr. A. Akoto
Osei, by a letter dated October 20, 2008 directed the release from the MDRI account.
The audit report also stated that Mr. Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, the former Information
Minister admitted that “allowances were paid to certain individuals to also defend
Government programmes during radio discussions.”
According to the Auditor-General's report, officials at the Ministry of Information, during
the audit, disclosed that “these groups operated under the cover of darkness during
which time meetings were held with the Minister (Asamoah-Boateng), his deputy Hon.
Frank Agyekum and other functionaries.”
“Hon. Stephen Asamoah-Boateng promised to provide us the terms of engagement
of the team members,” the report stated, adding that “However, as at the time of
writing our report he could not provide the needed information.”
In addition, six persons, namely: Kwaku Kwarteng, Kofi Amponsah-Bediako, Catherine
Afeku, Nii Bi Ayibonte, and Abeeku Dickson, whose terms of engagement, job schedules
were not documented, were also paid allowances for four months, totaling GH¢16,000.00
(¢160million).
An additional amount of GH¢28,100.00 (C281million), which was spent on their travels
to the regions was also not accounted for.
According to the Auditor-General, even though Mr. Asamoah-Boateng, promised to
furnish the audit team with the terms of engagement of the six, some of whom were
described as 'Spokespersons,' he failed to do so.
Now if you hear the names of NPP people such as Kwaku Kwarteng, Kofi AmponsahBediako, Catherine Afeku, Nii Bi Ayibonte, and Abeeku Dickson, you know where they
are coming from.
Do you remember the 'Ghana, Then and Now' TV documentaries? The TOR Debt
Recovery Levy was used for those as well.
page 39
Ghanaian Times: 10 February 2011
LOOTING THE SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME
We cannot forget how the NPP government set up a school feeding programme,
originally intended to provide school children in primary schools with at least one
nutritious hot meal a day. The programme was funded partly with subventions from
the Dutch Government, which was interested that local foodstuffs should be used for
the cooking in order to boost local agricultural farmers.
Sadly for the school children, the natural looting instinct of the NPP turned the
programme into a milking cow and used the programme to enrich themselves and
their followers. It is sad that at some stage, the women cooking for the children, without
money, had to cook with rotten tomatoes.
Here are a few of the findings of an Auditor's report (Price Waterhouse and Coopers)
covering 2006: They show how the looting brigade of the NPP betrayed the school
children.
1. ¢363,549, 000 that the National Secretariat of the Programme claimed to have
transferred to ten districts were not received by those districts. Here are some
examples:
page 40
Regions /Districts
Account
transferred per
secretariat
records
Amount
received per
district records
Amount not
received by
district
Wenchi (B.A)
146,553,000
65,403,000
81,150,000
Keta (VR)
170,955,000
105,030,000
65,925,000
North Tongu (VR)
134,100,000
78,600,000
55,500,000
2. Contracts were awarded to Companies that did not exist at the time of the award
of the contracts. For example: they gave a contract to a non-existent company called
Dekoom Ventures to supply kitchen inputs to the School Feeding Programme on
16th January 2006. However, on 16th January 2006, Dekoom Ventures was not a
registered company.
3. By December 2006, the NPP had paid more than ¢5.7 billion to companies that had
no Business Registration Certificates. Some of those companies are:
Total payments made to Supplier
Name of Supplier
Supernatural Ventures
¢789,283,000
Danviryl Enterprise
¢82,811,760
F & A Investments
¢4,042,107,558
Wendy Rose Enterprise
¢285,121,000
Maami Leak Enterprise
¢375,412,400
Royal Choice
¢99,423,500
Chakan Enterprise
¢96,756,000
TOTAL
¢5,770,915,218
4. Two companies awarded contracts had the same VAT invoice number. That means
it was a complete 419 scam. Look at this:
Invoice Date
Name of company
6 April 2006
Godish Enterprise
10803905
¢25,245,000
5 July 2006
Kaldal Ltd
10803909
¢71,500,000
page 41
Invoice No
Amount (¢)
5. Without going on and on, here a few summaries of the corruption that made the
Dutch government withdraw from the programme:
a. ¢202,719,912 were paid out to companies without any supporting documents
such as receipts, invoices, contracts and reports. Some of the Companies were
i. Eugene
ii. F&A Investment
iii. Supernatural Ventures
iv. Kaldal Ltd
v. M&E
b. ¢16.3 billion worth of kitchen inputs that they claimed to have bought did not
reach the stores
c. ¢91 million of office imprest could not be accounted for
d. ¢4.3 billion that they said they paid to the following companies were not covered
by receipts: Kaldal Ltd; F&A Investments, Danviryl Enterprise and Supernatural
Ventures
e. Forged Signatures - in Kumasi the signature of the Director of Monitoring and
Evaluation had been forged on the appointment letters of caterers of Asokwa and
Asawase Cluster of schools
f. Unapproved schools included in the programme - There were cases in which
schools approved to benefit from the programme were not receiving funding
whereas other schools that were not on the list were receiving funding. Who made
those decisions?
g. Inflated School Enrolment Figures - According to the audit report, in several
schools, enrolment figures had been inflated (sometimes by as much as over 100%),
resulting in more funds being transferred to those Districts than they deserved.
Here are some of them:
page 42
District /
Region
Abura Asebu
Kwamankese
(Central R)
Name of School
Enrolment
Figure Per
Secretariat
Enrolment
figure per
school register
%
Inflated
Abura Edukrom D/A Primary
501
229
118.8%
Musunkwa Primary
481
213
125.8%
Asikuma Odoben
Brakwa (Central R)
Abuakuwa Catholic Primary
459
260
76.5%
Sekyere East
(Ashanti R)
Kumawu Anglican Primary
500
335
49.3%
Techiman
Municipal (BA)
Nyansuaka LA Primary
550
239
130.1%
h. Unwholesome Foods Provided to Children - Children in five regions were served
with food prepared with unwholesome tomato paste supplied by Afrique Link. It
is especially sickening that in several cases, it was not even possible to ascertain the
expiry dates of tomato paste since they had been painted over to conceal the expiry
dates. In spite of these, the supplier, Afrique Link, was paid more than ¢2 billion for
the deal. It did not prick the conscience of the NPP that, for the sake of money, they
were prepared to provide unwholesome food to vulnerable little school children.
i.
Use of Child Labour - In several districts, children were used as labourers to wash
the pots and pans of caterers.
The Insight: 13 April 2008
page 43
PLAIN STEALING AT THE BANK OF GHANA. BAWUMIA WAS THERE
Getting to the end of the NPP government's term of office, corruption and plain stealing
of government monies was so blatant and rampant that it was hard to believe it. It was
so bad, that even when they decided on the re-denomination of the Cedi, the old Cedis
were getting missing from the Bank of Ghana vaults in mysterious circumstances.
It became so bad that some workers at the Bank of Ghana began to complain. When
they complained, they were quickly sacked.
At that time, Mahamudu Bawumia, was the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana.
On 28th May 2007 alone,
a whopping
¢234.15 Billion
were taken away from the vaults
of the Bank of Ghana without
the Knowledge of the vaults
Manager. When that manager
complained, He was sacked.
(see letter below)
Mahamudu Bawumia was there
Deputy Governor
We publish below one of the letters from a concerned Bank of Ghana employee. His
identity has been concealed because we do not want to let what happened to Roko
Frimpong to happen to him.
Do you remember the story of the murder of Mr. Roko Frimpong in 2007 in Tema?
He was the Deputy Managing Director (Operations) of the Ghana Commercial Bank. It
was known that he was objecting to the manner in which the re-denomination of the
Cedi was being carried out. One morning, he was just gunned down in his house.
page 44
Then again, we remember the assassination of the Head of Security of the Bank of
Ghana, who was also gunned down in his house in similar fashion, was also connected
to the same position he took on the re-denomination exercise.
The situation was so bad that another Manager at the Bank of Ghana, whose conscience
did not allow him to just sit and watch, wrote the following letter to his Head of Human
Resources.
page 45
page 46
There was an instant response to this letter written by the Manager. He was sacked!!
Where did these monies go? Ghanaians may recall that during that period, there was
widespread concern that people in Government were collecting the old Cedis from the
Bank of Ghana and recycling them for the new Ghana Cedis. Do you remember that 6
months before the 2008 elections, giant Government propaganda billboards were
littered around all the nooks and crannies of Ghana? Why is the same not happening
this time?
When the Auditor-General published his report for 2008, the situation was even more
worrying. Let us have a look at some of his findings.
page 47
Never
Been Cited For
COCOAINE OR WEE
HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT
JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA
page 48
Chapter 4
DON'T MENTION THE COCAINE
Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo and the NPP in 2008 issued a document telling
Ghanaians that he is the best man to deal with the cocaine menace. Sometimes, we do
not know whether Nana Addo and the NPP think that all of us are fools. You see, it is
true that the cocaine trade blossomed in our country only when the NPP took over the
reins of government in the country. Looking at Nana Addo's track record with cocaine,
it is safe to say that to entrust the fighting of the cocaine problem to Nana Addo would
be like entrusting the safety of meat to the cat.
We cannot forget that it was under the supervision of Nana Akufo Addo, the current
flag bearer of the NPP, when as Attorney General, he let off the hook, arrested cocaine
barons and couriers almost all of whom belong to the NPP.
Poor Nana Akufo Addo! Just like King Midas who wanted everything that he touched
to turn into gold, whatever our aspiring president or his party touches turns into cocaine.
Is it because they love the stuff so much?
Either by design or by accident, immediately following the coming into power of the
NPP, the task to free cocaine and other drug barons to operate freely in Ghana fell on
Nana Akufo Addo who, as Attorney General, quickly arranged to have the confiscated
assets of drug barons returned to them in 2001. One of such people was no other
person than Mr. Raymond Amankwah, who is also related to Nana Akufo by marriage
and who had his ice-cream factory and other assets restored to him.
At the time, Nana Addo argued that it was against the human rights of drug barons to
have their assets seized without substantial direct evidence that those assets were
acquired with cocaine money. In the case of Raymond Amankwah, the argument was
that he had not been found guilty of any involvement of cocaine.
Dear reader, are you now beginning to understand why the NPP say that Nana Addo
is the ultimate human rights activist? When Issa Mobilla was tortured to death by
soldiers in Tamale in 2004 under his government, Nana Addo's human rights instincts
page 49
vanished into thin air. When the police shot at defenceless demonstrators, he kept
quiet. But immediately he heard that a cocaine baron had been arrested, he
enthusiastically donned on his human rights shirt and went fighting to free them. Some
human rights activist indeed! We just wonder why Nana Akufo Addo jacks up his human
rights' tail only when cocaine barons are at risk. Is this the person to whom we should
entrust the cocaine problem for resolution?
The NPP say that there should be no insults in the elections campaign. However, it is
now clear that what they mean by “insult” is only when people talk about cocaine.
Otherwise, why are all the NPP supporting newspapers, especially the Statesman always
full of insults against NDC politicians? They appear to be saying, “You can insult us as
long as you do not mention the cocaine”. Cocaine, for Nana Addo, has become the “C”
word.
We really wonder why the NPP would not want cocaine mentioned in connection with
their flag bearer, Nana Akufo Addo.!
At least we know that on “August 2, 2011, Nana Asante Bediatuo, counsel for Nana AkufoAddo in a statement issued in Accra challenged those who claim to have evidence that his
client is a cocaine or marijuana addict to provide them or shut up”. (Source: Ghanaweb
Thursday, 4 August 2011)
According to the news item: “Editor of the Daily Post newspaper Michael Dokosi who had
published stories alleging that Nana Akufo-Addo is a drug addict and was arrested at the
J.F.K International Airport for possession of drugs in an interview on Asempa FM's Ekosii
Sen programme Wednesday maintained that he has evidence to back his story. Mr. Dokosi,
who described the document provided by Nana Asante Bediatuo to clear his client of the
drug allegation as 'bogus' said he would only make his evidence available if the flag bearer
of the NPP Nana Akufo-Addo goes to court.”
That was the last we heard of any such defence from Nana Akufo Addo's counsel on
the subject.
page 50
Can people believe that the NPP, when in power, refused to sack their Inspector-General
of Police even when millions of Cedis worth of cocaine got lost from the strong room
in the police headquarters where the IGP is based?
People may recall the cases of three NPP women's organisers; Comfort Amankwah (no
relation to Raymond Amankwah), Arena Oforiwa and Ama Nyarkoa who were arrested
at Accra Airport in February 2002 for attempting to smuggle cocaine. In this case too,
Nana Akufo Addo, as Attorney-General, failed to prosecute them. The rumour began
to circulate from that time that the marriage between the NPP and cocaine barons had
become solid.
The 3 NPP Women from Dzorwulu involved in cocaine,
whom Nana Akufo Addo let go
The cocaine trade began to flourish under the NPP government. Any mention of the
NPP and its relationship with cocaine was brushed aside as mere innuendo and
perception. Then came Mr. Amoateng, NPP MP for Nkoranza, who was arrested in the
United States for exporting cocaine and heroin into that country. As is usual with the
NPP government, they denied that fact until the dishonourable NPP MP was jailed.
Faced with the truth, they rushed a bill to parliament to secure the transfer of Ghanaian
page 51
convicts abroad back to Ghana. Everyone knows that the intention was to bring back
the drug convicts who can be afforded champagne lifestyle in a Ghanaian prison.
We also recall how the current Minority Leader, Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, on 17th
January 2006, defended Amoateng in Parliament when he stated that there was nothing
to show that Amoateng was guilty of exporting heroin. (GNA)
That was not the end of it. The US drug enforcement agencies alerted the Ghana
government that some people were bringing a ship-load of cocaine into Ghana. The
government agencies did nothing about it until the 77 bags of cocaine were discharged
somewhere around Accra and got missing in the system. In the face of public outcry
about the scandal, the NPP government reluctantly set up a committee of enquiry
whose main objective appeared not to find the missing cocaine. True to form, the
cocaine was not found, although highly placed government officials, including the IGP,
admitted dealing with some of the cocaine barons. By some strange coincidence, the
Chairperson of the fake cocaine enquiry was promoted to the position of Chief Justice
by President Kufuor.
Then there was news about another consignment of cocaine, (two tonnes in weight)
arriving at Prampram, near Accra. The state institutions adopted a different strategy
this time to handle it. They seized the cocaine but failed to prosecute the main suspect,
allowing him to escape justice by facilitating his escape from the country. With the main
suspect gone, the NPP-appointed IGP asked people to “refurbish” the store room where
the seized cocaine was being kept. Little by little, a huge amount of that cocaine in the
custody of the IGP got lost as well. The response of the NPP government was to wriggle
their hands, saying that it was a matter for the police.
All this while, other narcotic cases kept flying in to haunt the country further. The son
of a prominent NPP member, Mr. Appiah-Minkah was found with a stomach-full of
cocaine. He was not prosecuted. As if that was not enough, the son of another leading
NPP member, Ambassador Nyaho Tamakloe was arrested and jailed in connection with
Indian hemp.
Then in 2008, information started flowing in that Raymond Amankwah, whose cocaine
assets had been returned by Nana Akufo Addo had been arrested in Brazil in connection
page 52
with cocaine. It could not have come at a worse time for our then aspiring President.
How could this be just when Nana Akufo Addo was asking us to vote for him to be
President? It is now also clear that other countries, such as the United Kingdom, Germany
and the US are all interested to prosecute his brother-in-law. How can such a calamity
befall our human rights “hero” who claims to have snuffed out military regimes?
The questions on the lips of concerned Ghanaians include whether if Nana Addo is
elected President he would not insist that people such as Raymond Amankwah, his inlaw, are all innocent victims of an “orchestrated” campaign by his political opponents.
It is not enough for Nana Addo to shrug off accusations about his relationship with
cocaine as a mere smear on the nose by the opposition. He needs to come clean about
why he had been shielding cocaine dealers such as Raymond Amankwah and the “NPPThree”. Otherwise, he and his handlers should stop wasting our ears that their man is
clean.
Are you beginning to appreciate the apparent NPP slogan which says “Don't mention
the Cocaine”?
Since the NPP government and their flag bearer are all steep deep regarding cocaine
issues, shall we say that a vote for the NPP in December is an endorsement of the
cocaine trade in Ghana?
page 53
DOSSIER OF SOME DRUG DEALERS/SUSPECTED DRUG DEALERS UNDER THE WATCH OF THE NPP
Relationship
with NPP
Date / Place of
Incident
Heroin
Chairperson,
Dzorwulu NPP
Women's Wing
4 February 2002,
Kotoka International
Airport (KIA), Accra
Arrested at KIA last check point for Docket missing. No
attempting to smuggle 1.97 kilos prosecution.
of Heroin into the USA.
Suspect cannot be
traced.
Madam Comfort
Akua Amankwah
(56 yrs)
Heroin
Organiser, Dzorwulu
NPP Women's Wing
4 February 2002, KIA,
Accra
of Heroin into the USA
Suspect cannot be
traced.
3
Madam Ama
Nyarkoa (55 yrs)
Heroin
Treasurer, Dzorwulu
NPP Women's Wing
4 February 2002, KIA,
Accra
of Heroin into the USA
Suspect cannot be
traced.
4
Andrew E. Jonah
Cocaine, Heroin,
Marijuana
Son of Dr. Sam Jonah, April 2005, Georgia,
NPP Financier.
USA.
5
Eric Amoateng
(NPP MP)
Heroin
NPP MP for
Nkoranza North
6
Andrew E. Jonah
Cocaine, Heroin,
Marijuana
Son of Dr. Sam Jonah, April 2005, Georgia,
NPP Financier.
USA.
7
Ellis NyahoTamakloe
Cannabis (Indian
Son of Dr. Nyaho
September 2006,
Hemp aka Marijuana) Tamakloe, NPP
DHL Counter, Accra
Ambassador to Serbia August 29, 2006
and Montenegro
Name
Drug Dealt In
1
Madam Abena
Oforiwa (65 yrs)
2
Nature of Incident
Arrested in US Drug Enforcement In prison with 9
Agency sting operation
others
Nov. 2005, Staten
Caught by Surveillance Camera
Island, New York, USA inspecting $6m. worth of Heroin
page 54
How case was
Disposed of
Jailed and released.
Arrested in US Drug Enforcement In US prison custody
Agency sting operation
Attempted to post cannabis
through DHL courier service
Jailed for 10 years.
We have not mentioned the case of the NPP Minister, who, in the course of being
investigated by the Narcotics Control Board, was appointed Minister of Interior by
President Kufuor and who subsequently aborted the investigation.
We have also not mentioned the case of the seventy-seven bags of cocaine that went
missing from Ghana's territorial waters in mid- 2006. Well, if you have forgotten, we will
remind you.
THE 77 PARCELS OF COCAINE
In April 2006, the US drug enforcement agencies informed the NPP government that
a ship-load of cocaine was heading towards, Tema, Ghana. They informed the NPP
government about the name of the ship. They said it was called MV Benjamin.
Initially, the NPP government decided to do nothing about it, pretending that nothing
was happening. They were hoping to write a cock-and-bull story to US Intelligence,
that there was only one bag of cocaine on the ship. If this had been done without
exposure, then the Ghanaian public would not have heard a thing about it.
When The Insight Newspaper exposed the story, that 77 bags of cocaine that had gone
missing from the ship, the NPP government officials were caught with their pants down.
They thought that the best way to dampen down the resulting public outcry was to
set up a Committee that would explain away the disappearance without finding the
cocaine itself.
The NPP carefully chose the members of the Committee. They knew that the Committee
was supposed to investigate the involvement of police officers. In this wise, packing
the Committee with people associated with the police would ensure that the Committee
found nothing. Out of five members on the original committee, Mrs. Georgina Wood
was a former police officer before she joined the judiciary; Mr. Kwaku Duah was
the Deputy Director of the BNI; Mrs. Jemima Mograbi was an ex-police officer. Mr.
Osei Aidoo (NPP MP), another member of the original Committee, was a legal
advisor to other alleged drug barons under investigation. When Mr. Osei Aidoo
realized that information about his involvement with drug barons was about to
leak out, he hurriedly resigned from the Committee.
Immediately the first witnesses appeared before the Committee, the government saw
that the evidence of those witnesses could cause damage. As a result, they took steps
to pre-empt any damage. One of those steps was to make the then Minister for
Information, Mr. Kwamena Bartels to hurriedly convene a meeting of top officials
page 55
including ACP Kofi Boakye, the IGP, the Minister for State Security, the Minister of Interior
and a group of carefully selected journalists at the Ministry of Information. The purpose
of the meeting was how best to manage the unfolding information and eventually kill
it. Because ACP Kofi Boakye refused to play ball with this plot, they later tried to implicate
him by interdicting him on false charges.
What they then did was to make the NPP Attorney-General arrest some witnesses who
had started speaking freely at the Committee. The NPP government charged them with
offences that the Attorney General knew he could not prove in court. This was intended
to shut up the “singing” witnesses, namely Kwabena Amaning (alias Tagor), Alhaji Issah
Abass, Alhaji Moro, etc.
With those people secured in prison, the NPP government knew that they would not
talk anymore. Then followed a litany of excuses presented by the phony Committee:
that the drug enforcement did not have resources (who was supposed to resource
them and why were they not given the resources?); that Ghana Air Force did not have
an aircraft to monitor the movements of the ship; that the Ghana Navy in Accra did not
have a sea-worthy ship and did not have night-vision goggles; that the Navy in Takoradi,
when they set sail, had to turn back to buy food (probably kenkey from Yamoransa
Junction); and even that the naval ship did not have communication equipment, etc,
etc etc.
In the end, the ship was offloaded at the beaches of Prampram where the “Limping
Man”, Asem Darkeh, allegedly bribed police officers and enabled the cocaine to vanish
into thin air.
THE EAST LEGON COCAINE SAGA
At the time, all these were happening, another cocaine saga was unfolding in East
Legon. After the police arrested some suspects, they started negotiating with the leader
of the drug barons on telephone to pay them money so that they could replace the
cocaine with soda powder.
The then IGP, closely connected with the NPP, was involved in this as well. He was
involved with negotiation with the girlfriend of the leader of the drug barons. In the
end that cocaine case died a natural death with the lying NPP IGP, Mr. Patrick Kwarteng
Acheampong still holding on to his post till the end of the NPP rule, while innocent
people were jailed.
page 56
THE 2008 COCAINE TURNED CASSAVA POWDER (KONKONTE)
Do you remember that yet again in 2008, 12 slabs of cocaine were substituted with 12
slabs of corn dough under the watchful eyes of the NPP government and their IGP, Mr.
Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong? In addition, one whole box (No. 46) containing 30
slabs of cocaine from the Exhibits Room at the 6th floor of the Police CID Headquarters,
in January 2008 also got missing. Ask Mr. Kwamena Bartels; he will tell you. After all he
was the Minister of Interior at the time.
This was in spite of the fact that an earlier test conducted on the substances was
confirmed as cocaine by the Ghana Standards Board.
Once again, a Committee set up by the NPP concluded that it was unable to find anyone
directly liable for the substitution of the twelve (12) cocaine slabs and the theft of Box
No.46 containing thirty (30) slabs of cocaine, although the exhibit room was fitted with
CCTV cameras. .
The question we ask is, why is it that under the NPP cocaine always turned into something
else while everyone responsible kept their jobs? Ghana was on the road to becoming
a narco-state under the eight-year rule of the NPP by December 2008.
Kan Dapaah (2006-2007)
Kwamena Bartels (2007-2008)
Our two Ministers of Interior during the NPP Cocaine days when cocaine used to get
missing like magic. And yet, they are all honourable men.
page 57
Chapter 5
UNPRECEDENTED GREED - THE LAND GRABBING GANG
We have already stated in the Introduction, how NPP leaders used to brag that they
already have money and that they would therefore not have to loot state assets if voted
into power.
Contrary to their boasts, they turned out to be the most elephantine gluttons once
they got political power. They say that Jumbo is an elephant. Perhaps this is why the
NPP adopted the elephant as their logo. Their greed even exceeds the voracity of the
elephant.
Jumbo: “Thousand Bags of Kenkey will never be sufficient for Jumbo”
The looting spree was led by their President, Mr. Kufuor, who after grabbing as much
as he could from the state, wanted even more, in the form of ex-gratia, when he was
going on retirement.
Do you remember the list of properties, monies and privileges that NPP's President
Kufuor wanted as ex-gratia? If you have forgotten, we will tell you:
page 58
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Two fully-furnished residences, one in Accra, and another in any part of the
country of his choice with office and guest facilities. Both residences should be
huge enough and with such splendour as to enable him to entertain dignitaries
from all over the world;
“Adequate” residential support staff for both residences provided and paid for
by the poor taxpayer;
An additional fully furnished and equipped office accommodation in Accra, large
enough to be staffed with five professionals and “adequate” secretariat staff; (all
paid for by the state)
Six fully maintained, comprehensively insured, fuelled and chauffeur-driven
vehicles which should be replaced every four years
Travel in motorcade
Overseas travel, once a year for up to two months, accompanied by his spouses,
three professionals and personal assistants as well “adequate” security at the
expense of the taxpayer;
Medical and dental services, at the expense of the taxpayer
24-hour security, everyday of the year for life
Adequate entertainment provided at the expense of the taxpayer for life
Non-taxable lump-sum payment amounting to 134 months' (nearly 12 years)
pay of the ex-President.
Annual pension on a newly claimed salary amounting to double his current
salary
One Million US Dollars cash to enable him set up a trust in order to deal with the
agony of leaving left office.
The Insight newspaper captured Kufuor's greed in the following cartoon;
page 59
Former Presidents of the United States of America (USA) do not get these entitlements,
despite being the world's leading economic power. Neither does the British state provide
these to their former Prime Ministers.
STATE BUNGALOWS AND PRIME LANDS FOR NPP LEADERS
Do you also remember that President Kufuor unilaterally took over a huge government
complex in Ridge, Accra, for use as his personal office when he left office?
Then there was the case of Kufuor taking for himself, 8 plots of residential government
land (1.42 acres) at the Government Residency Link, Ridge Residential Area in Kumasi.
Do you know how much Kufuor paid for that huge land in a prime area in Kumasi? A
mere GH¢4,000 for 8 plots of prime land.
That was not all. The NPP leaders shared among themselves, 198 official government
bungalows and lands in prime areas. Not only did they appropriate these government
bungalows for their personal use, they bought them at rock-bottom low prices. We can
list a few for your information.
ALLOTEE
LOCATION
NPP WHO IS WHO
John Agyekum Kufuor
Residency Link, Ridge Res Area Kumasi President
Kwadwo Okyere Mpianim
Acacia Close, Ridge Res Area
Kumasi NPP Govt. Chief of Staff
Jake Obetsebi Lamptey
No. 1 St. Mungo St, Ridge
Accra
Current NPP Chairman
Liberation Road
Accra
NPP Presidential Aspirant
K.T. Hammond
International Students Hostel,
Accra
NPP MP for Asokwa, Kumasi
Esther Obeng Dapaah
International Students Hostel,
Accra
NPP MP for Abrem
Oboshie Sai Coffie
International Students Hostel
Accra
NPP Minister of Tourism
Hajia Alima Mahama
International Students Hostel
Accra
NPP Minister of Women
Yaw Osafo Marfo
No. 3 5th Circular Road
Accra
NPP Finance Minister
Ebenezer B. Sakyi Hughes
Switchback
Accra
NPP Speaker of Parliament
Elizabeth Ohene
Switchback Rd
Accra
NPP Minister at Castle
Dr. Wireko-Brobbey
24 8th Circular Road,
Accra
NPP Ghana@50 CEO
Hon. I.C. Quaye
8 6th circular Road
Accra
NPP MP. Mins of Greater Accra
Nana Yaa Asante Faibille
9 5th Circular Road
Professor Frimpong-Boateng His Official Residence on
Wife of NPP Surrogate,
Egbert Faibille
Dr. Sam Jonah
Plot C4 Cantonments
page 60
NPP Supporter
If this is not abuse of power and corruption, then we do not know what it is. These
people are now shouting themselves hoarse, hoping to come to power and continue
with their misdeeds. If they are allowed into power, by the time they leave the scene,
there will be no government property left.
The Insight: XXXX
THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SCAM
The NPP promised in their 2000 Manifesto promised that they would build affordable
houses for teachers, nurses and ordinary workers. Little did we know that the only
“affordable” houses they intended building were meant for NPP leaders and their
relatives and friends.
For eight years, that they were in power, the only few buildings that they tried to put
and which they even did not complete, were shared mostly among his relatives, friends
and workers of his household members of the President, the Vice President, Ministers
and NPP supporters. Is that a party that wants to run the country for all the people; or
they are only interested in their supporters?
The allocations listed below tell a story. These allocations were signed by the then
Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Mr. Abubakar Saddique Boniface
page 61
between 17-18 December 2008. This was well after the first round of the Presidential
elections when the NPP knew that they were heading for defeat. Some even got two
houses. Ebei!
Do you now appreciate how desperate the NPP was in those days to hang on to power?
Do you now appreciate why leading members of the NPP such as Atta Akyea were
looking for dead bodies to deposit them in the Volta Region so they could blame them
on the NDC and Ewes? Do you now know why the NPP are asking to ask its members
to “take positions” in the unlikely event that they win the 2012 elections? Enjoy this:
BENEFICIARY
ADDRESS OF BENEFICIARY
1.
Stephen Owusu-Sekyere 235 Airport West, Accra
2.
Nana Boakye Kufuor
(President Kufuor's House)
3.
Nana Bema Kufuor
ALLOCATION
C1/9 Block E, Kpone-Tema
235 Airport West, Accra
P.O. Box 4449, Accra
C12/2 Block I, Borteyman,
Nungua, Accra
4.
Hajia Aisha
235 Airport West, Accra
Unnumbered Block, Borteyman,
Nungua, Accra
C3/5 Block I, Borteyman,
5.
Nana Akomea
NPP, Head of Communications Team,
P.O. Box NK 345, North Kaneshie, Accra
Nungua, Accra
6.
Cpl. Daniel Nyame
Office of the President, Castle, Osu
C10/1 Block B, Kpone-Tema
7.
Eric Mensah-Bonsu
C17/12 Block F, Kpone-Tema
8.
Joseph Obeng-Poku
9.
Richard Gaisie
10. Sgt. H.O. Manu
11. Sgt. Thomas Addae
12. Const. Jonas Ampofo
C2/12 Block B. Kpone, Tema
13. Cpl. Emmanuel Bordoh
14. Cpl. Robert Owusu
15. Mr. Adu
Acheampong-Sarpong
16. Cpl. Hansel Yeboah
17. Mark Kyei Ahengua
18. PW/Cpl Joyce Asare
19. SGt. Peter Kwarteng
20. Sgt Evans Kesseh
21. E.O. Frimpong
C4/2 Block A. Kpone, Tema
page 62
BENEFICIARY
22. Kwadwo Bonsu
ALLOCATION
C4/3 Block A, Kpone-Tema
23. George Oduro
C4/4 Block A. Kpone, Tema
24. Kofi Afriyie
C4/5 Block A, Kpone, Tema
25. Sarfo Addo
26. ASP E.R. Asante
27. E.K Frimpong
VVIPU, Castle, Osu
28. Bonsu Kwadwo
VVIPU, Castle, Osu
29. Issaka Samande
C1/1 Block E, Borteyman, Nungua, Accra
30. Fuseini Salifu
C1/6 Block E. Borteyman, Nungua, Accra
31. Yakubu Iddrisu
32. A.S.P. Paul K. Nsowah
C2/1 Block B. Borteyman, Nungua, Accra
33. L/C F.J. Narh
C2/13 Block B. Borteyman, Nungua,Accra
34. L/Cpl Bokyerewa
C2/15 Block B. Borteyman, Nungua,Accra
35. ADC Obed Akwa
C2/2 Block B Borteyman, Nungua
36. ACP Nana Bediako Poku Office of the President, Castle, Osu
C2/3 Block B, Borteyman, Nungua, Accra
37. Cpl. Kwadwo Tuffuor
38. Lt. Col. Akohen-Mensah
39. Supt Okyere Darko
40. DSP Corfie
41. DSP Kofie
42. A.S.P. Kingsley
Amankwah
43. L/Cpl Baffoe-Antwi
44. Sgt. Emmanuel Borden
45. Insp. Peter Boadu
46. A.S.P Anthony Omane
47. Cpl. Owusu Antwi
48. Sgt. P.S.K. Asiome
49. L/Cpl John Larbi
50. Sgt. B.O Lamptey
51. Abigail Baah
52. Sgt. Samuel Agyalewah
53. PW/Insp. Patricia
Akuamoah Boateng
54. PWC/Insp. Mary
Watts Amissah
55. PWC Juliana Siaw
56. Insp Obeng Awisi
C4/7 Block A, Borteyman, Nungua, Accra
57. Patrick Manu
page 63
BENEFICIARY
58. Insp. Victor Kwakye
ALLOCATION
59. Cpl. Kwadwo Tuffuor
60. Sgt Clement Nimako
61. PW/Insp. Patricia
Akuamoah Boateng
62. Insp. K.O. Kumi
63. PWC/Insp. Mary
Watts Amissah
64. Insp. Love Ayensu
65. Baaba Mensah
Castle, Osu
C4/20 Block H. Borteyman, Nungua, Accra
66. Alhaji Alhassan Aliu
Office of the Vice-President, Castle, Osu
C8/11 Block H, Borteyman, Nungua, Accra
67. Gandah Labiri
68. Mohammed Musah
69. Hassan Gabga
70. Awaab Achumpari
C1/10Block E, Borteyman, Nungua, Accra
71. Awudu Alidu
72. Nashiru Soale
Unnumbered House, Borteyman,
73. Shamsudeen Mahama
Asokore Mampong, Kumasi
74. Alhaji Armiyao Haruna
C12/8 Block I, Borteyman, Nungua, Accra
Nungua, Accra
75. Alhassan Ziblim
76. Madam Salma Kadiri
C127 Block I. Borteyman, Nungua, Accra
77. Abdul Rahaman Salisu
78. Abdul Wahab Alhassan
79. Fayad Mahama
C12/6 Block I. Borteyman, Nungua, Accra
80. Yakubu Adam
81. Mohammed Awal Ziblim Office of the Vice-President, Castle, Osu
82. Victoria Boaten-Sarpong c/o Hon. Asamoah Boateng
(Minister of Information
83. Zuleika Lornia
(Minister of Information
84. Rex Ohemeng
c/o Hon. Asamoah Boateng
c/o Hon. Asamoah Boateng
(Min. Of Information)
C6/4 Block B, Borteyman, Nungua Accra
85. Dr. Abena Amoako
c/o Hon. A. Osei Adjei
C8/7 Block C. Borteyman, Nungua, Accra
86. Rita Adoma
c/o Hon. A. Osei Adjei,
(Min of Foreign Affairs)
87. Ivy Apraku
C6/13 Block A, Asokore Mampong, Kumasi
(Minister of Foreign Affairs)
page 64
C8/6 Block C Borteyman, Nungua, Accra
BENEFICIARY
88.
Akua Konadu
(Minister of Foreign Affairs)
C6/14 Block A Asokore Mampong, Kumasi
89.
Afuah Pomaa
c/o Hon. D.K. Fobih (Min of Education)
C7/1 Block J. Borteyman, Nungua, Accra
90.
Yaw Tandoh
C4/7 Block J. Borteyman, Nungua, Accra
C4/8 Block J, Borteyman, Nungua, Accra
91.
Abena Akobin
92.
Kwaku Kutin
c/o Hon. Dr. D.K. Fobih
(NPP Mins of Education)
93.
Kofi Poku
David Kwabena Adade
95.
Hon. S.K. Boafo
96.
Hon. Nii Adu
Darku Mante
97.
Hon. Nii Adu
98.
Hon. Bintim
Darku Mante
Charles Binipon
C7/2 Block J, Borteyman, Nungua, Accra
c/o Hon S.K. Boafo
(Minister of Chieftaincy Affairs)
94.
ALLOCATION
c/o Hon S.K. Boafo
(Minister of Chieftaincy Affairs)
Minister of Chieftaincy Affairs, Accra
(NPP MP)
C8/3 Block I Borteyman, Nungua
(NPP MP)
C4/3 Block I Borteyman, Nungua
NPP MP, Mins of Local Government,
Box 42, Saboba, N/R
C4/1 Block I, Borteyman, Nungua Accra
(NPP MP) P.O. Box AD 999, Adabraka
C4/2 Block I Borteyman, Nungua, Accra
100. Hon. Abangah Abdulai
(NPP MP) P.O. Box AD 999, Adabraka
C8/2 Block I Borteyman, Nungua, Accra
101. Mohammed Amin Anta
NPP Parliamentary Candidate
99.
Hon. Abangah Abdulai
P.O.Box 1211, Cantonments, Accra
C1/5 Block C, Borteyman, Nungua, Accra
C8/3 Block C. Borteyman, Nungua, Accra
102. Hon. Oppey Abbey
(NPP MP) Parliament
103. David Aidoo
c/o Hon Gladys Asmah,
104. Vincent Yaw Kusi
(NPP Mins of Fisheries)
105. Elizabeth Donkoh
106. Elsie Panyin Ansah
C7/3 Block J Borteyman, Nungua
C7/4 Block J Borteyman, Nungua, Accra
c/o Hon S. Owusu Agyei (MOPSR)
107. Jeff Armoo Brown
c/o Hon S. Owusu Agyei (MOPSR)
108. K. Siakah
c/o Prof. Ameyaw Akumfi (NPP MP)
109. Francis Quaye
110. Kofi Korsah
111. Ibrahim Baryeh
Chairman of Lands Commission, Accra
C5/6 Block B Borteyman, Nungua, Accra
112. Nana Juaben-Boateng
NPP Chief Director, Mins of Finance
C8/3 Block C, Borteyman, Nungua Accra
113. Margaret Baah Wiredu
Box 11297, Accra North
C8/1 Block C, Borteyman, Nungua Accra
page 65
page 66
MORE LOOTING
WHEN SAKYI HUGHES (NPP SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT) WENT GRABBING
Do you remember the NPP Speaker of Parliament, the Dishonourable Ebenezer B. Sakyi
Hughes? He is the man who, when NPP lost the 2008 elections took away all the furniture
from his official residence, including the door mat? Just in case you think we are lying,
please look at the Ghanaian Times of Headline below.
In April 2009, this is how Ato Kwamina Dadzie put it on his blog
(http://www.atokd.com/blogContent.aspx?blogID=137)
“Mr. Sakyi-Hughes' four-year tenure in parliament was pretty uneventful. It seems
he knew that very few will remember him for his parliamentary work. So in his last
few days in office, he did something very few will be in a hurry to forget. He literally
stripped his official residence bare of all furnishings.
“He took everything he could get away with - cutlery, napkins, curtains, bed sheets,
cooking pots, washing machines, flower pots and even soap dishes. The scale of his
loot was so monumental that you'd think that if he had an electrician at hand, he
would have removed the electrical cables in the house as well. It's also surprises me
page 67
that he didn't uproot the grass which makes up the lawn in the house to replant in
his house in Takoradi.”
Shall we remind you of what Aliu Mahama said? He said in 2001: “We did not go into
government because of money; we have our own Mercedes Benzes and Pajeros. We
have not come to steal government's money,”
And to this Major (rtd) Courage Quashigah, then Minister of Agriculture added: that
the NPP leaders and appointees had their own houses before winning power. Yet he
took two of the so-called affordable houses for his relatives.
What a paradox? If people like these offer to sell you a second-hand car, you should run
away from them very fast.
PROFLIGATE SPENDING
When President Mills accused the NPP of profligate spending, the NPP protested.
Well; if they were honest, they should not have protested. It was their President Kufuor,
who led the way. After using the taxpayer's money on a globe-trotting spree during
his Presidency, when he swilled Champaign without let-off, he turned round to award
himself expensive medals at the expense of the same taxpayer.
page 68
AT the time, The Insight newspaper had a more befitting description of this profligate
spending.
Then there was this case of ¢50 Billion spent on what the NPP called “Security Operations”.
No one knew then what this was about but it was obvious that the NPP knew how
chop state money and even use some of it to conduct what the NPP called a “military
exercise” at Radio Gold.
GRABBING OF GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE VEHICLES
NPP'S LAST MINUTE.COM
The way in which the NPP went on a looting spree of government vehicles was an
indication that the NPP knew that they were going to lose the 2008 elections. They
looted as if there was no tomorrow.
page 69
Here are a few tasters:
Three of VW Phaeton vehicles, which were part of the vehicles procured for the Ghana@50
celebrations were shared among NPP politicians and their relatives and friends. Here
are only a few of them.
BENEFICIARY
ALLOCATION
1.
Honda Accord Saloon
JHMCM46503C200968
Nana Akufo Addo
2.
VW Phaeton
WVWZZZ3DZ48009163
Mr. K. Agyepong
3.
VW Phaeton
WVWZZZ3DZ48009164
Chief Kufuor
(son of Prez. Kufuor)
4.
VW Phaeton
WVWZZZ3DZ48009178
Hon. J.H. Mensah
5.
Peugeot 607 Saloon
VF39U3FY792228354
Hon. Stephen
Asamoah Boateng
6.
Audi A4
WAUZZZBE55A072151
Hon.T.K. Hammond
7.
Peugeot 607 Saloon
VF39U3FY792230642
Hon. Kan Dapaah
8.
Peugeot 607 Saloon
VF39U3FY792230246
Miss Elizabeth Ohene
9.
Rover 75 Saloon
SARRJILLZ4B11723
Hon. Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor
10. Rover 75 Saloon
SARRJ31285D341437
Hon. Papa Owusu-Ankomah
11. Peugeot 407 Saloon
VF36DRGJ621624144
Hon. Maxwell Kofi Jumah
12. VW Passat
WVWZZZ3BZ5E101107
Hon. Kwamena Bartels
VF36DRFN721396527
Hon. Shirley Ayorko Botchway
14. VW Phaeton
WVWZZZ3DZ48009140
Dr. Richard Anane
15. VW Phaeton
WVWZZZ3DZ48009203
Mrs. Aliu Mahama
16. VW Phaeton
WVWZZZ3DZ48008952
Hon. Joe Baidoe-Ansah
17. VW Phaeton
WVWZZZ3DZ48009002
Ambassador D.K. Osei
VF36DRFN721495968
Mr. Opare-Ansah
VF39U3FY792236402
Hon. Cecilia Dapaah
VF38B4FNF281686409
Mr. Kwesi Blay
VF39U3FY792233436
Hon. Kwadwo Adjei Darko
All these people are still mounting platforms and making noise.
If you see any of them in any of those vehicles, do not think that they bought them
from the proceeds of their own sweat. They took them from the state of Ghana. They
want to come back and take more.
page 70
Chapter 6
DEMOCRATIC TRADITION? YOU SHOULD SAY THAT TO THE MARINES
The NPP claim to be the only political party in Ghana with democratic traditions. Well,
we would have believed if we had just landed on the earth from some other planet like
Mars.
THE TSATSU TSIKATA CASE
Do you remember the Tsatsu Tsikata case? The NPP hounded him like “El Lute” whose
case during the Spanish dictatorship was made popular by Boney M. They arrested him
on false charges of causing financial loss to the state when he was the Chief Executive
Officer of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC). This was after they had
failed to find what they called “something” about corruption against him. At one point,
the NPP even arrested him while he (Mr. Tsikata) was in church. (And yet they say they
are Christians.)
They rambled on looking for charges that even the then General-Secretary of the NPP,
Nana Ohene Ntow, stood on an NPP rally platform and stated “Tsatsu was given resources
for oil exploration but he rather used the money for banana cultivation and for telephone”
As they dragged out the case, with their surrogate press doing propaganda along the
lines, they were still finding difficulties along the way, precisely because they had no
case. When Tsatsu won the first round of the battle regarding the constitutionality of
“Fast Track” courts at the Supreme Court, President Kufuor got angry. He hurriedly
returned from a trip from Australia and packed the Supreme Court with his supporters
(including Justice Afreh) and had the original decision of the Supreme Court reversed.
This is how the US Embassy in Accra reported about this case to the U.S. government
“Kufuor's reaction was to pack the Supreme Court with two more Justices sympathetic
to his position, and when the case was re-heard, the decision was reversed.” (Wikileaks
Ref. ID:09ACCRA54)
However, President Kufuor's worries did not ease. Because the charges did not fit the
offence, the judge was finding it difficult to rush to a conviction, especially since Tsatsu
was pointing out the wrongs of the judge to her all the time. The NPP government,
(with Nana Akufo Addo as Attorney-General) and with their backs to the wall,
decided not to allow the World Bank's IFC, a material witness in the case, to appear
before the court to give evidence. They granted the IFC immunity from appearing
before Ghanaian courts.
page 71
It reached a point when the Supreme Court was just about to deliver a judgement on
whether or not the IFC has immunity from the courts in Ghana. At that stage, the
government appeared to have decided that the judgment, which they had already had
written should be delivered before the Supreme Court came out with their decision.
Nana Akufo Addo: Ghana's version of leading human rights activist
Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata, with the real human rights activists
page 72
In the end they jailed Tsatsu after truncating the trial. How can these people call
themselves “democrats” or “human rights activists”?
When the NPP lost the 2008, their President Kufuor hurriedly announced a phony
“pardon” for Mr. Tsikata. This compelled the US Ambassador in Ghana to dispatch a
cable to the US in January 2009, in which he stated: “The pardons, along with the
bizarre public apologies that Kufuor made in late November (2008) for any mistakes
he may have made as President, have stained the former President's credibility and
tarnished his reputation. The pardons have the appearance of an open admission
of guilt for the abuses of the Fast Track Courts, a perception that had already been
lingering uncomfortably in the public consciousness. Why would he pardon someone
found guilty of corruption? And if they were not guilty, why were they imprisoned?”
(See Wikileaks Ref. ID: 09ACCRA54; created 26th January 2009 at 13.10).
Ambassador Donald Teitelbaum lamented in the same report: “Former President
Kufuor's pardon of Tsikata, along with the six former Ministers and Deputy Ministers
- all of whom had completed their prison terms by the time the pardons were
announced- has rekindled the debate on the use of the judicial process to persecute
political opponents,” Well, this is the US verdict on our so-called defenders of
human right. And yet Mr. Tsikata's prosecution was initiated and initially led by
the self-acclaimed defender of human rights in Ghana, Nana Akufo Addo. And
this is the guy who wants to be President?
The Insight: 21 October 2008
page 73
OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES UNDER NPP
Do you remember the more than 500 taxi drivers whom the NPP jailed, mostly for
refusing to pay bribes and who were hurriedly granted pardon by their President Kufuor
on January 7, just hours before leaving office?
Then there were even hundreds more who were first-time offenders who had served
more than half of their terms, and who included seriously ill prisoners, prisoners above
age 70 and nursing mothers.
According to the US Ambassador, the NPP and Kufuor's administration used the law on
“causing financial laws to the state” as a tool for political vindictiveness, where several
ministers who served under the NDC were brought to court, and jailed after being
found guilty of financial malfeasance in office”. If such people say they believe in human
rights then we do not know what their meaning of human rights is.
THE ROPAB DISGRACE
Do you remember when in 2006, the NPP was planning their big scheme to rig the
2008 elections? They introduced ROPAB (Representation of the People Amendment
Bill).
When a group of concerned citizens organised a demonstration to protest against the
Bill, the NPP's response was quick and brutal.
On 22 February 2006, the NPP sent a group of police officers, led by ACP Asiedu Akrofi,
who beat up the demonstrators and fired teargas at them Some of their leaders,
including Ama Benyiwa-Doe; Mahama Ayariga, Boya Gariba, and Bernard Mona were
arrested for organising a demonstration which is guaranteed under the 1992 Constitution.
THE BANNED CJA INDEPENDENCE DAY PROCESSION
The Committee for Joint Action (CJA), in 2007 wanted to organize a procession to
celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ghana's independence. Well, the NPP government
did not like the idea. SO what did they do? They went to court and got an NPP-supporting
judge to ban theplanned procession.
page 74
The following are excerpts from a Ghana News Agency
report on that issue, dated 1st March 2007
Court restrains CJA from Peoples' Jubilee March
Accra, March 1, GNA - An Accra Fast Track High Court on Thursday granted an interim
injunction restraining the Committee for Joint Action (CJA), a political pressure group, from
holding any procession on Independence Day.
The Court ruled that no procession shall be held from March 5-15, but the order could be
varied after March 15.
"The CJA or its agents or servants or any other organisation is hereby restrained from holding
any peaceful procession or otherwise," the Court said.
"It is further ordered that for the avoidance of doubt, it shall be unlawful for any person or
persons acting under the banner of Committee for Joint Action or any other organisation
to organise and undertake any activities or procession in celebration of the 50th anniversary
from March 5 to 15 without express permission in writing to the Police.
"This court has come to this conclusion cognizant of the fact that in times necessary the
interest of the nation should override individual rights or parochial interest," the court,
presided over by Mr. Justice P. Baffoe Bonnie ruled.
page 75
Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr. K. K. Amoah said if the organisers went on the said
procession, the mischief in terms of embarrassment to the state and foreign dignitaries
would be unbearable. According to him, each time, processions were often declared peaceful
but they turned out to be otherwise.
Mr. Amoah said intelligence reports indicated that other groups opposed to the procession
would confront the CJA and that was likely to disturb public order.
The Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON) of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), a
group calling itself the Campaign for Patriotism (CAP) said they would hold counter
demonstrations. “
THE NPP EMPIRE STRIKES BACK ON PEACE DEMONSTRATORS - 2006
These pictures above are not scenes from a war zone. This is Ghana under the NPP
regime in 2006 when the government unleashed brutal police violence on peaceful
demonstrators. The reporter, who filed this report, did a running commentary in the
video thus:
“I think the situation is getting devastating now because the police have increased in
numbers and they are gradually approaching the crowd.... and they fired the first warning
shot into the crowd and they actually wanted to.. aaaarrrgh....aaaarrrgh (as teargas billowed
into his eyes) but aaaarrgh.. .. aaaarrrgh! That's a crash and eh... I think it is teargas that
has been fired into the crowd; and eh.. and all the people are running from here.. and eh...
I am pulling towards the leaders who were addressing the crowd and I'm trying to catch
some breath since unfortunately I was near one of the teargas that was eh.. fired into the
crowd. And eh ...”
page 76
When he managed to gather himself together, he stated:
“It goes to show what political cynicism is. ...... it goes to show where a feeling that you are
so powerful can lead this nation. We are on the road to perdition”
Aaammen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE DEATH THREAT ON PRIME MINISTER DR. BUSIA'S DAUGHTER
The NPP have shown that they are prepared to kill even their own if you cross their path
to money and power. Do you remember the death threats on the daughter of Dr. Busia
who tried to expose the lack of commitment of the NPP towards the proliferation of
small arms?
The poor woman had to go into hiding. Please check this publication.
The Insight: 4th December 2008
page 77
Chapter 7
DECEITS AND LIES GALORE
The NPP people are known to make promises that they know they have no intention
of fulfilling. This attitude, which is also in the DNA of the Matemeho tradition, stems
from disrespect for the ordinary people. The NPP think that people are so gullible that
they would accept any promise even if their history indicates otherwise.
As Stephen King is known to have said, “The trust of the innocent is the liar's most useful
tool”. Every time, the NPP people tell lies because they believe that the ordinary people
are not smart enough to see through them.
Just look at the promises they made to Ghanaians their 2000 Manifesto because of
which some Ghanaians voted for them.
THE HOUSE EX-PRESIDENT KUFUOR IS BUILDING
These days, a day does not pass without NPP leaders and propagandists telling lies
about “houses” that they claim NDC Ministers have bought or built. When the facts are
cross-checked, they are all found to be lies.
On our part, we do not make claims without evidence. Today, we will tell you about the
fore-most NPP leader who is building not just a mansion, but something that looks like
a palace. On the opposite side of Peduasi Lodge, near Aburi, when you stand on the
opposite side of the main gate, and with your back to the Peduasi Lodge, just look
ahead of you. You will find a palatial triple edifice under construction. To have a fuller
look, just walk along the little slip-road, and you will find ex-President Kufuor's twostorey palatial complex in its full glory sprawling on a two acre land. There is even a lift
in this palace. Here are clips of the complex Kufuor is building that the NPP people will
not like Ghanaians to know about:
page 78
Back-view of the building
page 79
Western View
page 80
Have the NPP propagandists not seen this
building? Now they should tell Ghanaians
where ex-President Kufuor got the money
from to afford this .
page 81
MORE LIES!
If you are ever tempted to believe the NPP leaders when they make promises to you,
just have a flash-back to 2000 when they lied their way to the elections.
ON EDUCATION
In 2000, the NPP promised to close the glaring gap (in terms of infrastructural and
equipments) that exist between rural schools and the top schools in urban areas.
Yet after eight solid years in government what they left our school children in the rural
areas with are hundreds of thousands of them in the rural areas were having classes
under trees.
In 2000, the NPP promised “design and implement incentive package for teachers
in general, and those in the rural areas in particular”.
Whatever they meant by that, all we know is that teachers felt so let down that by the
time they were leaving office in 2008, teachers were on strike in most places in Ghana.
On tertiary education, the NPP promised to build so many polytechnics and of
such high quality that there will be enough of them in built-up areas “to facilitate
commuting from existing residential facilities”.
By the end of 2008, they had not built even one. Are these the people promising free
education at SHS level?
One of their mentors, Dr. K.A. Busia, actually declared a new education policy in
1970/71. He said that education is a privilege and not a right. Because of this policy, he
started to reverse the Nkrumah policy of fee-free education. Under the NLC/Busia
government, secondary school students were asked to pay tuition fees and university
students were asked, for the first time to pay what Busia called “maintenance fees”
Before then, this was unheard of in post-independent Ghana.
But this is the Matemeho people for you. If “kwatrekwa” promises to give you a cloth,
just note his name; because “kwatrekwa” is a person without clothes.
ON EMPLOYMENT
They promised to create jobs for the youth. To buttress that on 4th October 2001, The
NPP Government Spokesman declared that with effect from that month, the NPP was
going to embark on a national registration exercise of all unemployed youth in the
country. Mr. Kwabena Agyepong told the “Evening News” that the exercise dubbed,
page 82
“Action for Employment Generation” would start at all regional and district capitals on
October 8, 2001.
Mr. Agyepong explained that they would provide a means for the government and
other interested parties to know the unemployment figures at every point in time.
Well, fellow Ghanaians, this never happened. But this is NPP for you.
FALSE PROMISES MATTER.
Please find below some of the other promises made in 2000 that they never paid
attention to, as soon as they were declared victorious.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Reduce the tax burden especially on workers and pensioners.
Outcome: They increased taxes including massive increases in the prices of fuel.
Empower all Ghanaians, especially our women and youth, by supporting their
entrepreneurial initiatives. Outcome: Nothing like that happened. The 31st
December Women's Movement had a better track record.
Ensure an even balanced development of all the regions in Ghana.
Outcome: Did not even try. They rather boasted; “Y'agye yen man” (meaning
“we have taken back our nation”.) With the help of their Vice-President, the North
was totally ignored.
Totally develop the rural areas through the pursuit of an aggressive integrated
rural development programme. Outcome: Never happened.
An NPP government will cut the size and budget of the offices of the President
and the Vice President, the budget and the size of the cabinet secretariat, the
number of Ministers and other Presidential Appointees, and channel the resources
to spur greater economic growth. Outcome: The NPP created even more
Ministries, and in addition unconstitutionally created the position of Special
Assistant. Size of government expenditure went high.
An NPP government will provide government loan guarantees under a new
programme called the Small Business Assistance Programme. Under this
programme, an NPP government will guarantee 80% of the loans provided to
qualified SMEs Outcome: We did not see it.
Creation of Ghana Investment Fund. NPP government will contribute 30-50
billion Cedis each year for four years to raise 25 percent of the share capital.
Outcome: Never happened.
Ghana's aluminum-based products will be promoted to penetrate the wider
international market. Outcome: Never happened.
Government will establish fishing and processing ventures. Outcome: What the
NPP promoted was pair trawling.
page 83
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
An NPP government will establish a Technologies Information Network,
involving our universities and research institutions, industry associations, and
key government agencies…Qualified science and technology staff will be
attached to our Missions abroad to feed the Network with relevant information.
National Subsidies Code, consistent with the rules and regulations of World
Trade Organization and the protocol of ECOWAS will be developed to provide
fiscal support and other subsidies to Ghanaian firms to enhance their ability to
compete in a global economy. In addition, qualitative and quantitative trade
restrictions will be used to support Ghanaian producers.
Will grant special credits and technical up-grading to “chop bars”, lower-end
hotels and restaurants to improve their surroundings and services to tourists.
Outcome: Never happened. . Ask any “chop bar” owner.
Up-grading of the numerous small garages and fitter's shops through a) access
to credits to acquire equipment and tools, b) making available technical training
through linkages with tertiary engineering institutions, to provide supporting
services to agriculture and industry. Outcome: Never happened.
Rehabilitation of our urban markets, internationally famous as the home of the
enterprising West African “market women”, and provision of adequate drainage
and healthy surroundings to make them suitable places for trading and major
tourist attraction. Outcome: Never happened.
Modernization and extension of railway network. Connection to the Northern
Regions within the next decade. Outcome: Never happened.
Adequate drainage facilities particularly in the urban areas to protect life and
property. Outcome: Never happened. We only had more flooded cities and
towns.
Adequate water supplies in the urban and rural centres. Outcome: Never
happened. We do not know where they established these water supplies. What
we know is that water became so short in the NPP time that we got to know
about the Kufuor gallons.
page 84
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
Programmes to ensure affordable energy and power sufficiency for domestic
and industrial consumption. Outcome: Never happened. Do you remember the
electricity price hikes, in the face? What we remember is that we suffered over
7 months electricity shortage in 2007?
Construction of houses and other facilities for such critical groups as teachers,
medical personnel and security services as well as for rural renewal.
Outcome: Never happened. The few that they built were shared among NPP
members and supporters.
Reform the land tenure system and, in particular, facilitate the use of land by
land-owners and traditional authorities as equity contributions for farming, real
estate, tourist and other commercial investments. This system will allow
subsequent generations to benefit from the investment income from the land.
Facilitate entry of the educated youth into modern commercial farming by
improving their access to land, capital, and farming support systems.
Review policy on the balance between importation of fish and the development
of our own indigenous fishing industry
Outcome: Do you remember the pair trawlers that killed our fish and drove our
fishermen out of business?
The NPP government will take specific actions to raise productivity in food
production;…and to introduce a Farmers' and Fisherfolk's Security Trust to cater
for them in their times of need and in their old age. Outcome: Never happened
We rather imported food from Burkina Faso and Cote d'Ivoire.
Designating of the Afram Plains (in the Eastern Region) as a grain basket of
Ghana, and conferring on it a special food production programme on pilot scale
for replication to other regions of the country after two (2) years.
Investing in and promoting cost-effective water-harnessing facilities, such as
large and small scale dams, drip irrigation, etc. and to make irrigated and prepared
land blocks available for rent. The establishment of constituency-based smallscale private companies dedicated to the rehabilitation, maintenance and
construction of feeder roads will be encouraged. Outcome: What A FUNNY
PROMISE! Government to establish private companies? : No wonder it never
happened.
The NPP government will put in place well-equipped community-manned Fire
Control Service to rid the rural areas from the perennial scourge of bush fires.
page 85
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
Establishment of a National Youth Corps to create at least 100,000 jobs by
the end of its first year and even more in subsequent years. This will involve
the provision of affordable credit and supporting services for engaging young
people in productive economic ventures. Outcome; Never happened.
The National Mobilization programme will be reorganized and given proper
policy direction. It will be encouraged to operate as a co-operative and to
become self-supporting and profit-oriented. Outcome; Never happened.
The establishment of Ghana as a platform for producing for export to
neighbouring and the international markets will generate employment avenues
for technically skilled labour in the electronics and electrical appliances
assembling industry. Outcome; Never happened.
Ensuring modernization and availability of urban housing. For instance, subject
to the agreement of stakeholders, slums shall be replaced with “apartment
houses” with modern conveniences, which will be cost-effective and
environmentally friendly. Outcome; Complete hoax.
The NPP is aware of the annual flooding of large parts of the Northern and Upper
Regions as a result of the opening of spillways of dams in Burkina Faso, especially
when this happens during the rainy season. The NPP government shall embark
on a very comprehensive programme to provide structures to protect these
regions. Outcome: Did nothing about them.
The NPP will substantially increase the domestic budget allocation for Rural
Water Development. By 2010 at least 90% of all Ghanaians will have access to
clean water supplies, and water borne disease will largely become a thing of the
past Never even started. Outcome: Never honoured it.
The NPP proposes to launch a special Housing The People Scheme which shall
focus on low-cost housing, urban renewal and rural housing. Outcome: Yes
they shared the few they started to build among themselves. (See list above)
The NPP government will provide government loan guarantees under a new
programme called the Small Business Assistance Programme. Under this
programme, an NPP government will guarantee 80 percent of the loans provided
to qualified SMEs. Outcome: Never honoured it.
NPP government will ensure that at least a community health nurse is located
in every hamlet of the country. Outcome: Never honoured it.
Overseas Treatment of Top Government Officials: The incoming NPP
government shall abolish this practice. Currently, the budget provided for
this type of treatment is shrouded in secrecy, and so also the method of
selection of patients and the types of diseases treated abroad. NPP
government will rather put emphasis on improving health facilities in Ghana
so that overseas treatment at public expense can be curtailed.
Outcome: Never honoured it. Where did Baah Wiredu die? The Minister of Health
Quashiga; where did he go for medical treatment? Kufuor was travelling overseas
for medical treatment all the time.
page 86
37.
38.
39.
40.
Overseas Treatment of Top Government Officials: The incoming NPP
government shall abolish this practice. Currently, the budget provided for
this type of treatment is shrouded in secrecy, and so also the method of
selection of patients and the types of diseases treated abroad. NPP
government will rather put emphasis on improving health facilities in Ghana
so that overseas treatment at public expense can be curtailed.
Outcome: Never honoured it. Where did Baah Wiredu die? The
Minister of Health Quashiga; where did he go for medical treatment? Kufuor was
travelling all the time for medical treatment.
The NPP disagrees with the present arrangement for the appointment and
removal of District Chief Executives; ultimately, they will have to be freely elected.
Outcome: Never honoured it.
The NPP government will, establish “half-way” houses to smoothen the reintegration of discharged convicts into society. Outcome: Never honoured it.
NPP government will provide some financial support for the operations of political
parties and will co-operate with all other political parties as essential organs in
the governance of the country. Outcome: Never honoured it. They only looted
government coffers to fund the NPP.
page 87
Chapter 8
TRIBALISTS AND ETHNIC CHAUVINISTS
The NPP was born out of tribalism and they have always remained so. Since the time
of Baffuor Osei Akoto, the Bantamahene, who formed National Liberation Movement
(NLM), the adherent of the Matemeho tradition (the Danquah-Busiaists) have always
used tribalism to advance their political ambitions.
Even when the Matemeho people formed an alliance with S.D. Dombo's NPP (Northern
Peoples Party) in the late 1950s, they refused to make Dombo the leader of the opposition
although Dombo's party had more seats in the Legislature than the Matemeho party.
The reason was simple. Dombo was a northerner.
When the Peoples National Party (PNP) won the 1979 elections, the Matemeho tribal
bigots used to crack jokes that the President, (a Northerner) was spitting kola unto the
walls of the Castle. They never accepted a President from the North.
Mr. Victor Owusu, the leader of the Popular Front Party (PFP) - another NPP predecessor
party- described Ewes as “inward looking”
In the last three years, the flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party himself has been playing
the ethnic card.
While addressing a mainly Akan meeting in Koforidua, in the Eastern Region, he called
on Akans to eschew the perception among other groups in the country that Akans are
cowards and would run away from any little threat. “Our predecessors whose started
the party that has now made us the largest party in the country (i.e. the Matemeho
people, who used to cut open the stomachs of pregnant women and throw bombs)
were not people who were hiding under beds” ....... “At the Atiwa bye-elections, we
showed a little bit of what we are made of. At Atiwa, we displayed a little bit of
something......In the upcoming elections in 2012, all die be die....all die be die”.
This tribal battle-cry was soon backed up by Mr. Okanta Obetsebi Lamptey, Chairman
of the New Patriotic Party who stated that Akans will fight for their birthright to rule
this country if people stand in their way.
In 2012, the tribal refrain was picked up one of the leading NPP campaigners, Mr.
Kennedy Agyepong, who declared a tribal war by calling on Ashanti's to attack Ewes
and Gas in the Ashanti Region. Kennedy Agyepong did not stop there. He has described
page 88
people from the north as people who have “cracked feet”, and disdainfully stated that
northerners (whom he called “pepefuor” are mere “cattle herders” and “watchmen”.
It is clear from these that the NPP has no respect for “northerners”, Ewes and Gas. This
is hardly a party than can be expected to be fair to other ethnic groups if given the
mandate to rule.
Do you remember how they rejected Vice-President Aliu Mahama in 2007 as their
Presidential candidate? Typical of the NPP in the same way as they used to mock at the
late President Limann, they did not want a northerner to go and spit kola on what they
called “Jubilee House”.
Ex-President Kufuor had utter contempt for Northerners and Muslims. In a meeting
with the U.S. Ambassador to Ghana in May 2005, President Kufuor described “Zongo”
people as people without brains of their own. He went on “The poor "zongos" are
filled with young people who are not educated. They only follow what they are
told by the Imams”. (See Wikileaks Ref. ID. 05ACCRA892 created 10th May 2005).
page 89
AND FINALLY...
Do you remember Mr. Haruna Esseku? He used to the National Chairman of the
NPP until 2006. He knew that businessmen with government contracts were being
asked to pay “kickbacks” to the NPP and the government.
In 2005, he became a worried man. The percentage of kickbacks that was supposed
to be given to the NPP Chairman was not coming anymore. Then he realised that
the seat of Government at the Castle had set up a mechanism to deal with how
the kickbacks were to be dispensed. Let us read what he was on record to have
said:
“I called one of the Ministers and asked him, 'Why have you not been paying the money'
and he said 'Oh! So you don't know about this? We have been shown where to send
the money'. .
“I asked many several contractors, why they have not been paying (the kickbacks) and
they laugh at me and said, 'How can we be doing this business and would not be
paying?'
According to the Enquirer newspaper, when the NPP Chairman was asked at the secret
meeting how the monies are collected, Mr. Esseku said the Ministers receive and pay
to the Castle but big companies (names withheld) whose contracts runs into several
figures pay directly to the Castle.
page 90
The Enquirer reported Mr. Esseku as saying that “during the voters registration exercise
he needed a lot of money and he knew that a certain Minister had awarded a lot of
contracts, so he asked him to bring some money but the Minister said the Money had
been sent to the Castle”. The Party Chairman “said he later received about 10 billion
Cedis from the Castle for the registration exercise”.
Mr. Haruna Esseku was also reported to have confessed:
"I don't know who keeps the money, the only thing I know is that when I go to the
Castle, I present the budget to the President, I wait in the President's office, he reads
through the budget and he signals his men"…. “Before I go, the money is dumped at
the back of my car in bags”.
The Enquirer stated: “When he was asked at the secret meeting whether the kickbacks
was the only source of finance for the party, and also whether the money was not
coming personally from the President, he said that contributions from Ministers and
party supporters form an infinitesimal portion of the party's finances.
“On whether the President is not bankrolling the party he said 'the money I collect at
the Castle, can't come from his pocket or his allowance, how much is allowance? I know
his salary'.
“He further explained that when a party is in opposition, party members ensure they
the pay their dues, but as soon as they win power, they relax. This is what he said is
happening to the NPP.
“Mr. Esseku, who is respected within the party for his tactical abilities said, he receives
monies such as the one for the voters registration exercise; he shares the money and
transport it by road to the various constituencies. He said, they don't usually put all the
money in one car, adding that sometimes they have 'backups' just in case the first
consignment of cash doesn't reach its destination.
“He complained about the lack of transparency regarding the management of the
'kickbacks fund' at the Castle and indicated that the kickback fund's managers are using
their control over the said funds as a bait to show influence in the party including
whipping its executives into a state of submission.
“He told executives that, the party has only two accounts and that one of the accounts
has been in the reds for a long time whilst the other has just about ¢500,000.
“According to him, he wrote a memo to the President between June-July 2002 that
page 91
party money in the bosom of the Castle should be repatriated back to the Finance
Committee of the party, which is responsible for the management of the party's kitty.
“Mr. Esseku said he did not hear from the President on this matter adding that the only
reply he got were attempts to malign him that he pocketed over ¢500 million. He
explained during the secret meeting that he indeed received the said amount from
one of the party's businessmen and that he judiciously utilized the money for party
activities and prepared an account on it.” (Source: Enquirer as culled by Ghanaweb- 22
November 2005)
CONCLUSION
Whereas the NDC was born out of a desire by its founding members to foster an
environment where the conditions for the development of one individual or one
community would be the same conditions for the development of other individuals or
communities in the country, the NPP was born out of greed and avarice where:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Their belief is that it is only the rich and powerful in the country who should
enjoy the wealth of this country;
Their belief is that once you get into power, you should use the government and
the state machinery to enrich only the select few in the NPP fraternity;
Their belief is that the state machinery should be there to protect the rich while
suppressing the aspirations of the poor, the needy, the vulnerable and the
ordinary citizen;
Their belief is that the only reason for getting into politics is to steal the assets
of the country once they get into power; even if it includes undertaking scams,
such as claiming to secure an international loan from a hairdressing salon or
building material shops;
Their belief is that it is okay to sell the assets of the country as long as it makes
them individually rich
Their belief is that even when they are pretending to undertake a development
project, they have to get so much out of it for themselves that, in the end, they
end up with shoddy jobs that endanger the lives of the citizens
Their belief is that “property-owning democracy” means stealing government
bungalows and lands originally acquired for the use of the government for
public interest purposes;
Their belief is that it does not matter how a person gets rich as long as, in the
end, he or she gets rich; even if it means
a. Dealing in cocaine and selling other narcotic drugs such as “wee”;
b. Exporting narcotic drugs abroad; or
c. Getting 20% out of every contract for a shoddy job;
page 92
In the pursuit of these beliefs, the NPP are prepared to go to any lengths, for example:
- by going on a rampaging and pillaging spree, including killing and maiming
people,
- carrying out bombing crusades which kill and hurt innocent children and
women, just as they did in the 1960s
- spreading dead bodies around the country only to turn round to blame
other political parties for “murders” that did not take place;
- set one ethnic group against another by preaching tribal chauvinism
- imprisoning their political opponents on most trumped up charges, while
stuffing the courts with judges that support them in their misdeeds and
who will carry out their wishes;
- making false claims, including claiming that President Mills was dead even
when he was alive
Their shame knows no bounds.
NPP leaders do not give a damn if Ghanaians suffer so that only they would enjoy the
wealth that properly belongs to the whole country and which should be distributed
among the people of the country by way of social welfare provisions in an equitable
way.
In short, the over-arching motto of the NPP is “Each one for himself and God for the
chosen few”.
It is in the light of these real threats to the country that the NDC is of the opinion that
Ghanaians should not be made to forget the nastiness of the NPP.
The NPP would like Ghanaians to forget their misdeeds by shouting from rooftops
against a god-fearing President, hoping that, in the event; Ghanaians would go sleep
and vote them back into power. They even want to go to war again, with their “All Die
Be Die”, “Kill Ewes” “Arm yourselves with womma funu” (fufu pounding pestles and
cudgels), etc.
It is time to remind ourselves of these misdeeds which they have committed, otherwise
we may fall into a deep sleep with their shouting which they hope would divert attention
away from their transgressions.
It is for this reason that we have written this book.
God Bless Our Homeland Ghana
page 93
Notes
page 94
Notes
page 95
Notes
page 96

`Lest We Forget` NPP Looting brigade

Transcription

Similar documents

bearshare kazaa edonkey

View Sample PDF

Hosted by Special Presenters Event Highlights

An Online Gaming Testbed for Peer-to

ENVINET as - Czech Industry for ITER

Presentation

View

Dynamic Regional Carbon Budget Based on Multi

Dynamic changes in terrestrial net primary production and their

Gangs of the Internet - Information Systems and Internet Security