Kufuor blasts Rawlings, says he is a hypocrite

Ex-Presidents Kufuor and Rawlings         Former President John Agyekum Kufuor says ex-president Rawlings is quick at mounting the rooftops to proclaim that people are corrupt as if “he is a living saint”. But Mr Kufuor believes that Rawlings “a lot of the time sounds hypocritical”. “I don’t think serious people should use him (Rawlings) as a measure of righteousness in our society” he stated. Mr Kufuor, whom during his presidency, withdrew ex-president Rawlings’ courtesies for what he considered offensive comments in the international press, was ironically blasting his predecessor in an international magazine - Africa Watch Magazine. CONTROL FREAK In the interview dubbed “enough is enough”, former President Kufuor sought to portray his predecessor as a control freak who will run people down if he doesn’t get his way whilst portraying himself as a gentle giant. Recalling the antecedents which led to the sour relationship which currently exist between the only surviving ex-presidents, Kufuor said, at the time he became president, the relationship between him and Rawlings wasn’t as bad as it is today, until he one day turned down rampant summons from Rawlings to meet him at places predetermined by him (Rawlings). “When I assumed office, the first two months, things seemed to be all right, until every now and then he would send an emissary to tell me to meet him at some place. It happened, first, second and a third time. The first three I obliged but the fourth time, I sent the person back to tell him I would not meet him anywhere but at the Presidency” he stated. Mr Kufuor said, it was after he turned down Rawlings’ rampant summons for meetings that “he started raining abuses on me and it continued through the eight years that I was in power, going as far as to compare me with Ataa Ayi. What is he up to, I can’t understand.” According to Mr Kufuor, before he assumed power, it was his intension to respect Mr Rawlings, the same way he wanted to be respected once he left power, but things went bad because of Rawlings’ tendency to yell insults at him. ZERO TOLERANCE When asked why people like former President Rawlings and his own party man, Kwame Piannim perceive his government as corrupt despite his “Zero Tolerance of corruption” mantra, he said Kwame Piannim left the NPP before he [Kufuor] became president. “Kwame Piannim resigned from the NPP. Later on he tried to come back and people perhaps thought he still is one of us. The truth is that he didn’t work in my government. He is a respected person and apparently he is quite close to President Mills. I know him but he wasn’t in my team” he said. But an independent investigation by The Enquirer newspaper suggests that Mr Piannim indeed worked in the Kufuor government after he was appointed as chairman of the Public Utilities and Regulation Commission (PURC). On the issue of Zero Tolerance for Corruption, Mr. Kufuor said “When I talked of Zero Tolerance for Corruption, I meant it and that is why we enacted so many laws on it-like the one on Public Procurement, where the biggest corruption in government lies.” “So we said beyond a certain low threshold of procurement, everything must go for open tender and the procurement authority should be independent. And that is what is operating now. We improved the conditions of service for the judiciary and empowered them to do their work without fear or favor, we also tried to modernize the court system and so many laws we put in place to curb corruption.” He further observed. Ironically, even though the Kufuor administration spearheaded the enactment of the public procurement laws, most of the major procurement under his government did not follow the procurement law. Source: The Enquirer

Former President Kufuor speaks on Sudan elections

Former President Kufuor Former President John Agyekum Kufuor, has stated that the African Union does not favour any of the contesting political parties in the impending general elections in Sudan. A statement signed by his spokesperson, Mr Frank Agyekum said, the Union's interest was the smooth conduct of the elections to help Sudan to return to peace and stability. Sudan goes to the polls from April 11 to April 13 this month for the first time in more than 25 years to elect a President and a 450-member National Assembly. The statement said speaking at a Press Conference at the Grand Holiday Villas in Khartoum, Sudan, former President Kufuor, who led a 50-member AU Observer Mission, said the delegations are in Sudan as impartial and neutral election observers who did not owe any allegiance to any of the contending parties. President Kufuor explained that their duty is to observe the conduct of the elections in accordance with the AU's Declaration Principles governing elections in Africa. The 50-member AU Observer Mission is expected to determine at the end of the elections whether it was conducted in accordance with the constitution and laws of Sudan. The Mission includes National Electoral Commissioners, Members of the Pan-African Parliament, members of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the AU and representatives from Civil Society Organizations. They are also expected to determine the credibility of the whole electoral process in terms of providing a level playing field to all parties in their access to the media, movement and freedom of choice. The European Union has also sent delegations to observe the elections. Source: GNA

Kufuor’s Men In Court

Kwadwo Mpiani and Osei Akoto Sammy Crabbe, the former Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), yesterday appeared before an Accra Fast Track High Court, Financial Division, to answer charges of causing financial loss to the state. The former Chief of Staff Kwadwo Mpiani and two former ministers under the Kufuor Administration, Dr. Richard Anane and Anthony Akoto-Osei, who were to be charged with him, were however absent. Crabbe was not charged and the facts of the case were not read to him, as the three others were yet to be formally served to appear before the trial Judge, Justice Bright Mensah. The trial Judge said he would adjourn the case to enable the others appear before him today. The former government officials are expected to be charged in connection with their respective roles in the formation of the Ghana International Airlines (GIA) which allegedly resulted in huge financial loss to the nation. Mr. Crabbe, also a minority shareholder in GIA, was represented by Michael Kwame Boateng, while the state was represented by the acting Director For Public Prosecutions (DPP), Gertrude Aikins. Later in an interview with the media, Mr. Crabbe said even though he was not formally notified, he heard about the writ on radio and called his lawyer to go with him to the police where he wrote his statement and was charged with conspiracy to cause financial loss, causing financial loss, conspiracy to steal and stealing. He confirmed that the others have not been served, adding that he spoke to one of them who said he was not aware of what was going on, explaining that some of them were in their various constituencies but would appear if they were served. Yesterday, former Chief of Staff Kwadwo Mpiani explained that he was not in court because he was not aware of any charge of causing financial loss to the state, as being reported in some sections of the media. He added that although he met the Criminal Investigations Department of the police about 10 days ago, he had not been served with any summons or charged to appear before a court. However, accompanied by lawyer Owusu Fordjour, they met the police CID yesterday and even though he is not formally charged, he is expected to appear in court this morning. “It is news to me that I am being told that I have refused or I didn’t [go to] court. I have not been charged by the police. “If they charge me and I know the charge, then I’m sure I’ll tell my lawyers what to do. I know from my heart [and] my conscience that I haven’t done anything wrong. I don’t know what they are going to charge me with,” Mr Mpiani told Joy News yesterday. In a 13-point statement of claim filed by the Attorney General’s Department, the four former government officials and five others, reportedly at large, were allegedly to have conspired to cause losses to the state in millions of United States dollars. Former Roads and Highways Minister, Richard Anane, Samuel Crabbe, former Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the NPP, and President of Unger Oaks Limited, a previous member of the minority shareholders of the Ghana International Airlines Limited (GIAL), have been accused of agreeing to act together with a common purpose to willfully cause financial loss to the state to the tune of USD$ 4,900,000.00. They were also charged with conspiracy to and willfully causing financial loss to the state contrary to sections 23 (1) and 179A (3) (a) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29). The second count charged Messrs Anane and Crabbe with willfully causing financial loss to the state to the tune of USD$4,900,000.00 between August 2004 and January 2009. Dr Anane is also charged with defrauding the state of Ghana by false pretences contrary to section 131 of the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29). He reportedly falsely represented to cabinet on September 9, 2004 that GIA-USA-LLC, made up of World Transport Group and Sentry, had the capacity to join government in creating a new airline, as a result of which by false representation, he got cabinet’s approval to liquidate Ghana Airways. Former Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Anthony Akoto Osei is also charged with willfully causing financial loss to the state for causing to be released USD$ 2,326,275.00, USD$673,725.00, USD$400,000.00, USD$1,600,000.00 and 1,239,285.35 between October 2007 and January 25, 2008 to GIAL without authority. Dr Akoto Osei is also charged with causing financial loss to the state by guaranteeing or causing SSNIT to release USD$15,000,000.00 to GIAL without securing the loan or obtaining parliamentary approval at a time minority shareholders had allegedly abandoned the company. The writ also charges Dr Akoto Osei with deceit of public officer contrary to section 251 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) for allegedly falsely making representation to parliament to approve SD$15,000,000.00 purportedly as additional money to fund the equity of the government of Ghana in GIAL. Kwadwo Okyere Mpiani, former Chief of Staff at the Castle, has also been charged with causing financial loss to the state for causing to be released an amount of USD$6,000,000.00 to GIAL in September 2008 without authority. Samuel Crabbe, J. Ralph Atkin, now at large and H. Kirk Heaton also at large, have been charged with conspiracy to steal and stealing for acting together with a common purpose to dishonestly appropriate the property of GIAL and dishonestly appropriating an amount of USD$1,900,000.00 belonging to GIAL. In another development, DAILY GUIDE has gathered that former Finance Minister Yaw Osafo Maafo has not been charged with causing financial loss to the state, as earlier reported. By Fidelia Achama/Daily Guide

Kufuor shows up in court in GIA trial

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor Former President John Agyekum Kufuor was in court on Wednesday to hear charges against key appointees under his administration. The officials, Dr Richard Anane, a former Road and Transport Minister, Mr Kwadwo Mpiani, a former Chief of Staff, and Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, a former Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, are standing trial over the liquidation of the defunct national carrier, Ghana Airways and the incorporation of Ghana International Airlines (GIA). The fourth accused person, Sammy Crabbe, a former Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), represents the minority shareholders of GIA. This is the first major trial of former government officials who served under the Kufuor administration. Mr Kufuor, clad in a blue-black suit, and several other former officials and sympathizers of the NPP, stormed the Accra Fast Track High Court in solidarity with the four accused persons. Dr Akoto Osei was charged with seven counts, including wilfully causing financial loss to the state, Dr Richard Anane faces three counts, Mr Crabbe faces four counts, whilst Mr Mpiani faces one count. The four were granted GH¢300,000 bail to reappear on the 26th and 27th of April. Three of the accused former officials, Dr Osei, Mr Mpiani and Dr Anane, failed to show up in court on Tuesday when the case was first called because they had not been charged. Although Mr Crabbe was in court, the case was adjourned to today for the other persons facing trial to appear. Meanwhile the judge sitting on the case, Justice Bright Mensah, has warned the lawyers of the accused persons to desist from speaking to the press. He warned he would not take kindly to any act that prejudices the court’s verdict. Subsequently, the lawyers for Dr Anane and the other officials did not speak to the press. However, Mr Kwame Boateng, lawyer for Mr Crabbe, who is said to have withdrawn $1.7 million from government’s account without approval, told Joy News on Tuesday his client is innocent. Story by Fiifi Koomson/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

AFAG petitions Parliament on ex gratia to Kufuor

Kwabena Bomfeh, leading member of AFAG The Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) has petitioned Parliament over President Mills’ handling of the controversial ex gratia payment to former government officials and Members of Parliament. The group is accusing the president of disbursing ex gratia payments to MPs and former ministers while the emoluments of former president J.A. Kufuor and his vice were being handled haphazardly, in contravention of the 1992 Constitution. A leading member of AFAG, James Kwabena Bomfeh, told Joy News’ Sammy Darko after the presentation of the petition to the Majority Leader Cletus Avoka, that the group was deeply concerned about the conduct of the president on the matter. “It is only Parliament that can vary its own work or if anybody has any doubts or challenges to what Parliament has done, the most appropriate forum would be to proceed to the Supreme Court and seek an annulment of what Parliament has done,” he stated. Following a public outcry about the quantum of the ex gratia recommended by the Chinery Hesse Committee (CHC) for members of the executive, President Mills set up the Ishmael Yamson Committee (IYC) to review the recommendations which were approved by Parliament – even though members of the House later said they didn’t pay attention to contents of the CHC report when they approved it. AFAG is arguing that the president, who is the head of the executive, had no mandate to set the IYC to review the recommendations of the CHC which had been approved by Parliament. “This petition is to impress upon Parliament to exercise their constitutional duties [of holding the president in check because] the president acting in the name of the executive cannot arrogate to himself whatsoever rights that the people have not ceded to him, in this case to vary the work of Parliament,” Mr Bomfeh said. Story by Malik Abass Daabu/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

Wereko-Brobby to contest NPP flag-bearer for 2012

Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby sets his sights on NPP flag-bearership Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby, after failing the National Chairman bid, has declared his intention to contest the flag-bearership of the party. He says he intends “to challenge the party leadership for honesty and commitment to the people who want this party to get back power and do the things that NPP did that gave Ghana development that is unprecedented.” Dr Wereko-Brobby asserted that the NPP must stand on a solid foundation to stake a claim for power if it is to have any realistic chances of winning the 2012 elections. The tough-talking politician, told Joy FM’s Super Morning Show host Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah that “the pillars on which we stand to contest the NDC are shaky or rotten inside, we don’t have (any) chance, so I am declaring myself a presidential candidate (aspirant) on the platform of honest leadership so that we can move forward.” Without mentioning names, Dr Wereko-Brobby, also known as Tarzan, noted that the intractable differences between supporters of Nana Akufo-Addo and Alan Kyerematen had caused the NPP greatly and stressed the need for a neutral person with integrity to lead the party into the next elections. Tarzan who performed abysmally at the NPP Delegates’ Conference in Kumasi last weekend, obtaining only 29 votes out of a total 3,931 valid votes, said he was surprised at his poor performance but remained optimistic of his chances in the flag-bearership race. Prior to the ballot in Kumasi, he expressed similar optimism, saying he was in poll position to win the party chairmanship. He blamed his poor showing in Kumasi on his sticking to his principles of non-corruptibility of the electoral process. According to him, while other competitors gave delegates money for transportation, he refused to do so mainly in principle because the NPP cannot accuse the NDC of monetizing politics while resorting to the same tricks and political chicanery. The Chief Executive of the erstwhile Ghana@50 Secretariat said he only provided over 2,000 delegates with breakfast at his residence in Kumasi and wondered why despite the unsolicited pledge for support by these delegates, he lost miserably. He touted his commitment to vigorously fighting corruption in the country. "I have been mounting a campaign on what I call PG3 - public good, private greed, poor Ghana. People set out to serve the public good but they pursue their private greed and Ghana is the poorer for it," he said. Dr Wereko-Brobby congratulated the newly elected Chairman, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey on his election. Story by Malik Abass Daabu/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

Kufuor rates new NPP executives high

Former President John Kufuor Ex-President Kufuor says the New Patriotic Party picked the best team at Saturday’s conference in Kumasi to lead the party to victory in 2012. In an exclusive telephone interview on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday, Mr Kufuor said the latest crop of executives “is the best team we could have gotten.” Mr Kufuor said each of the elected personalities has special qualities and brings on board a wealth of experience to turn the party’s fortunes around in the next election. “They are coming to form a leadership team; they are a team. Jake has got the experience, he’s the leader of the team and I tell you it is a formidable team we’ve got now,” he said. He said although Mr Fred Oware, the First Vice-Chairman, was “a man who didn’t seem to have been in the mainstream of politics,” his statements at the Kumasi conference showed “he might have been what I will describe as a pocked politician.” “And he’s got the personality, intelligence, and other experiences relevant to leadership. So I think he’s an asset.” Ex-President Kufuor also gave a very positive testimony about Sheikh T.B. Bamba, the Second Vice-Chairman, whose political career he said started decades ago. General Secretary Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie bagged 2,386 votes to topple his predecessor Nana Ohene Ntow who polled 918 votes. “Then you come to the General Secretaryship. Everybody has heard of Dr John, all over Ghana through the airwaves and I am sure you know him. He’s a lawyer, he’s an administrator. What do you need of a General Secretary? A good administrator who knows the terrain. He knows every bit of Ghana; very sharp, very eloquent [and] witty,” he said. The ex-president described the new Women’s Organiser, Ms Otiko Afisah Djaba, as a refreshing addition. Ms Djaba polled 280 votes to beat her only contender Christine Churcher – a prominent member of the party – who polled 260 votes. The NPP held the national conference with a view to uniting its energies to snatch power from the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the next national polls, Mr Kufuor said. He stood by her earlier assertion at the conference that divisions in the party were assuming the nature of personality cults, a situation he said was unhealthy for the party’s future. Ex-President Kufuor also declared his full support for whoever emerges presidential candidate on the ticket of the party, stressing, he will always support the choice of the people. “Once the party went about its business on a level-playing field, showing commitment and focus and unity, whoever comes up on top is my candidate and I’ll support him to win power,” he said. Story by Fiifi Koomson/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

Kufuor rejects GH¢90,000 ex-gratia cheque

Former president Kufuor wants to understand on which document the ex-gratia payment was based Former President John Kufuor has rejected a cheque presented to him by government as his ex-gratia payment. According to the former president, the cheque was presented without any documentation or details. Spokesperson for the former president, Frank Agyekum, tells Joy News the amount indicated on the cheque falls short of Mr. Kufuor's retirement package. He said he did not know on which set of recommendations the cheque was based: the Chinery-Hesse committee report or the Ishmael Yamson report. Mr Agyekum said the cheque was also sent to the former President without any accompanying letter. The former President’s action follows comments by Minority Leader Osei-Kyei Mensah Bonsu, that amounts paid Parliamentarians exceeded the figure recommended by the Ishmael Yamson report. The Ishmael Yamson report reviewed recommendations by the Mary Chinery-Hesse committee constituted by Mr Kufuor. Under the Chinery-Hesse report, ex-officials are paid amounts equivalent to seven months’ of each year served times the number of years served, while the Yamson committee report recommended four months. The MPs have received six months’ per each year served, raising questions about which report the payment was based on. Former President Kufuor and several government officials were not paid their ex-gratia packages until late last year when cheques were issued for the payment. Mr Agyekum indicated that although the office of the former president has sent correspondence to the Presidency to seek further understanding on the matter, nothing has so far come out of it. Source: Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

Kufuor rejects GH¢90,000 ex-gratia cheque

Former president Kufuor wants to understand on which document the ex-gratia payment was based Former President John Kufuor has rejected a cheque presented to him by government as his ex-gratia payment. According to the former president, the cheque was presented without any documentation or details. Spokesperson for the former president, Frank Agyekum, tells Joy News the amount indicated on the cheque falls short of Mr. Kufuor's retirement package. He said he did not know on which set of recommendations the cheque was based: the Chinery-Hesse committee report or the Ishmael Yamson report. Mr Agyekum said the cheque was also sent to the former President without any accompanying letter. The former President’s action follows comments by Minority Leader Osei-Kyei Mensah Bonsu, that amounts paid Parliamentarians exceeded the figure recommended by the Ishmael Yamson report. The Ishmael Yamson report reviewed recommendations by the Mary Chinery-Hesse committee constituted by Mr Kufuor. Under the Chinery-Hesse report, ex-officials are paid amounts equivalent to seven months’ of each year served times the number of years served, while the Yamson committee report recommended four months. The MPs have received six months’ per each year served, raising questions about which report the payment was based on. Former President Kufuor and several government officials were not paid their ex-gratia packages until late last year when cheques were issued for the payment. Mr Agyekum indicated that although the office of the former president has sent correspondence to the Presidency to seek further understanding on the matter, nothing has so far come out of it. Source: Myjoyonline.com/Ghana