body-container-line-1
23.02.2012 General News

Woyome Saga: Government Reacts To Minority's Charges

By Daily Graphic
Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa - Deputy Information MinisterMr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa - Deputy Information Minister
23.02.2012 LISTEN

The government has stated that it does not consider the Woyome saga as a petty partisan political issue for which it is pursuing an agenda of political equalisation

It explained that to government, the Woyome Saga is an issue of whether wrongdoing has been perpetrated or not and how justice can be done,' a statement issued in Accra Wednesday by the government said.

The statement signed by Deputy Information Minister, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, is in reaction to a number of allegations leveled against the government by the Minority in Parliament, following the arrest of Mr O.B. Amoah, New Patriotic Party MP For Aburi/Nsawam, by the police last Sunday, in connection with the payment of GHC51 million, judgement debt to Mr Alfred Agbesi Woyome.

At a news conference held by Minority NPP members at Parliament House in Accra Tuesday, Minority Leader Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, who addressed the the media, said among other things that since Mr Amoah was returning from the proceedings of a committee of parliament, which was part of his parliamentary duty, the police should not have arrested him in contravention of the law.

The statement noted that for the NPP Minority to reduce the Woyome case, which the government described as very serious, to mere petty partisan politics and therefore assumes that government will join them in that path, must certainly be mistaken.'

On the NPP's charge against government that the arrest of Mr. Amoah is contemptuous of Parliament, an affront to the authority of the Speaker and that the image of parliament is under attack, the statement drew the NPP Minority's attention to their introduction of red cards and whistles to the House, in an attempt to heckle President J. A. Mills, when he presented the State of the Nation Address to the house last Thurday.

It said, this was at a time the full attention of the nation, local and international media and the diplomatic corps was on Ghana's Parliament, contending that the development has rather caused substantial damage to the image of Parliament and an affront to the authority of the Speaker .

The statement in reaction to the NPP's assertion that because Mr Amoah was returning home from parliamentary proceedings, the police should not have arrested him, said,'Government does not consider itself in breach of Article 117 of the 1992 Constitution as we are yet to be convinced of what type of Parliamentary business was still in session after 8pm on a Sunday.'

It contends that the NDC government upholds higher standards than the NPP did when they were in power and recalled the arrests of Messrs E.T. Mensah and Dan Abodakpi, both NDC MPs, when parliament was in session, a few years ago

The statement said the government will continue to uphold the Constitution of Ghana, adding that government would continue to accord all arms of government the respect they deserve and will at no time, attempt to usurp the mandate of any of the three arms.

It, accordingly, expressed the hope that all will respect the exclusive original jurisdiction to interpret any aspect of the

1992 Constitution.
On the the NPP Minority's charge of selectivity against the government, because some of those they expect to be invited or arrested had not yet been contacted, the statement reiterated the President's statement in parliament last Thursday that in dealing with alleged corruption; “it wouldn’t matter whose ox is gored.

'It is also imperative to point out to the Minority Leader that the Government and the Security Agencies would not be his orchestra and he will not be the conductor,' the statement added, stressing that the government and state institutions must be allowed to work in the best interest of Ghana and not to the whim and caprice of any individual.'

The statement underlined President Mill's assurannce to all Ghanaians that he will continue to act in the ultimate national interest in the Woyome saga.

body-container-line