PPP Statement: President Mahama & National Security must act now!

The PPP wishes to call on President John Dramani Mahama and the National Security organisation to act with dispatch on the Yaw Boateng Gyan tape to renew our confidence and hope for a peaceful and secure nation. We need a restoration of confidence in the security agencies and a trust that they will act professionally and impartially at all times. In this election year, it is important that state institutions act to ensure free and fair elections. The PPP is disturbed by the continuous blatant abuse of incumbency. This latest attempt to use state security apparatus to further the course of the NDC cannot be accepted by any well-meaning Ghanaian or organisation. The National Security Agencies do not exist to promote the agenda or support the election campaign of any political party, let alone the National Democratic Congress. While the president is calling on Ghanaians to maintain the peace and unity in the country, he refuses to act and remain silent when members of his party are engaged in all sorts of nefarious activities which threaten the peace and security of our country. Mr. Gyan's comments represent a serious indictment on the reputation and professionalism of the National Security. The suggestion that a party's official can arrange for National Security Identification cards to be issued to promote a party's activities is mind boggling. These are dangerous times indeed! We recall the violence that characterized the biometric registration exercise where NiiLamptey Vanderpuye's behavior that threatened the peace in the Odododiodoo was allowed to pass without a reprimand from the then Vice President Mahama. There was no action taken on the part of the police. Mr. Mahama, now President's deafening silence on these matters raises serious questions whether indeed he is committed to avoiding abuse of incumbency and ensuring peace and unity in this country. We call on the president and the national security to publicly condemn the conduct and comments from Yaw Boateng Gyan to assure all Ghanaians that the 2012 elections will be free, transparent, violence-free and fair. Individuals like Mr. Gyan should not be allowed to escape with impunity this time around. We wish to remind President Mahama about our open challenge to ensure transparency, accountability and Incorruptible Leadership. For the benefit of the President, we reproduce the challenge thrown by the PPP: - Introduce amendments to the 1992 Constitution that will make three critical changes for progress in Ghana: 1) prohibit Members of Parliament from being appointed as Minsters of State, 2) return the power to the people for all Ghanaians to directly elect their district, municipal and metropolitan chief executives without any interference from the President and 3) strengthen the office of District Attorney by separating it from the Ministry of Justice; - Make available to the public asset declarations, income tax returns, health records and sources of campaign funding before the December 7th elections; and - Conduct a campaign to prove competence and ability to offer solutions to the nation’s numerous problems. God Bless Our Homeland Ghana. God Save Us From Oppressors’ Rule! We are awake! Kofi Asamoah-Siaw National Secretary, PPP 6 September, 2012