Lies caused the NPP - Tsatsu

The former Chief Executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata has said that NPP Government was thrown out of power because many of their actions, utterances and dealings were fraught with more and more absurd lies.

He said many people are in jail today because of so much injustice and the manipulation of the judicial system and other state institutions under the government that preached the rule of law and respect for human rights for eight years.

Mr. Tsatsu was speaking at a thanksgiving forum at the Dela E. P. Cathedral at Ho in the Volta Region. The former GNPC boss was in the region to thank the people for their support and prayers in the "Free Tsatsu Campaign" for his release from prison.

He said in the face of over 1200 people languishing in the Nsawam prison including minors and people without warrant, the former Attorney, General, who was chief legal adviser to the N. P. P. government, told Ghanaians there were only 300 such people in prison and their cases were being looked at , that was a lie, Mr. Tsatsu stressed.

He told the packed cathedral that what the people fought for was not for him alone but for the many Ghanaians who suffered injustice under the N. P. P. government and the country's Judicial System.

He said what he and the 'Free Tsatsu Campaign' were fighting for is truth and justice for all Ghanaians. Mr. Tsatsu said since 2001 President Kufuor was determined to imprison him for no just cause. By his determination and through several manouevres, he was able to empanel judges to overturn the illegality of the fast track high court. "You know we are in a small country and people within informed me about these things" Mr. Tsatsu revealed.

The former GNPC boss maintained that for this country to have a bright future, everybody including the President and the Judges need to respect the constitution which is the supreme law governing the country.

Mr. Tsatsu thanked the doctors who worked tirelessly to save his life and called on all professional bodies including lawyers, judges to do their work professionally because there is definitely a day of accountability.

Mr. Kwesi Pratt Junior a prominent member of the 'Free Tsatsu campaign' said the campaign was not about Tsatsu or the little mercies or pardon by the president but justice in its fullness and the campaign would rage on until the country and every citizen is freed.

The wife of Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata, Ms. Esther Cobbah, said Tsatsu's case would be use as a reference point hence they would continue to fight for the truth because justice and freedom reside in every Ghanaian and when the truth comes up it would benefit every Ghanaian.

Lawyer Kwaku Nortey described Mr. Tsatsu as a man of extreme humility saying that after his illegal and cruel incarceration, Tsatsu did not bear any grudge with any of the people involved. He called on Ghanaians to emulate this great virtue for national unity.

Col Rtd. Neku who chaired the function in his opening remarks wondered if Ghana is worth dying for.

He supported the feeling that the truth must be pursued to the conclusion adding "Pardon or no pardon we will search for the truth".

He said though the new administration has promised not to Witch-hunt, they must truth-hunt, for the truth will make every Ghanaian free.