We’ve not ‘doctored’ Nana Addo handing over notes – Gov’t

The government’s transition team has rubbished allegations by the Acting General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu, suggesting that the handing over notes made available to the incoming government have been “doctored”.

In a statement signed by the spokesperson for the government's transition team, Hanna Tetteh, government has said such comments convey the impression that the NPP is looking to demonize the out-going John Mahama-led administration.

“The statement is regrettable and ill-informed and indeed conveys the impression that the NPP is looking for any opportunity it can obtain to demonize the out-going NDC administration instead of concentrating on understanding the state of affairs of the respective Ministries, Departments and Agencies over which they will soon have political oversight.”

This statement is the latest response to some rumours and allegations that have rubbed the government transition team the wrong way.

The government transition team was earlier forced to deny reports that the handing over notes for the incoming President-elect Nana Akufo-Addo-led administration were not ready.

There were also some concerns that government was awarding last minute contracts and recruiting personnel into the public service a few weeks to the official change in government.

Government in this statement once again reiterated that the handing over notes for the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies were ready within the required time frame.

“The handing over notes for the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies were ready within the time frame required by the Presidential Transition Act, 2012 (Act 845), however the Ministers responsible for each sector Ministry were required to sign the handing over notes before sending them to the office of the Administrator General,” the statement explained.

On allegations that the government was recruiting new employees and signing last minute contracts, government has also reminded it remains the lawfully elected government of the Republic of Ghana and has the authority to exercise all the functions of government until the hand-over on January 7, 2017.

“It is important to point out that the current administration is the lawfully elected government of the Republic of Ghana and has the authority to exercise all the functions of government until the hand-over takes place to a new administration. The transition process should not be seen as a shut down of the administration of the outgoing government.”

Find below the full statement
PRESS STATEMENT FROM THE GOVERNMENT’S TRANSITION TEAM

RE: INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE HANDING OVER NOTES

It has come to the attention of the Government’s transition team that some allegations have been made by the Acting General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), to the effect that the handing over notes that have been made available to them so far have been “doctored”. The statement is regrettable and ill-informed and indeed conveys the impression that the NPP is looking for any opportunity it can obtain to demonize the out-going NDC administration instead of concentrating on understanding the state of affairs of the respective Ministries, Departments and Agencies over which they will soon have political oversight.

The handing over notes for the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies were ready within the time frame required by the Presidential Transition Act, 2012 (Act 845), however the Ministers responsible for each sector Ministry were required to sign the handing over notes before sending them to the office of the Administrator General.

The last two months of the year have been a period of intense campaigning and not all Ministers had the opportunity to review the notes and sign them within the period defined in the law. That notwithstanding, the handing over notes are now all complete and are available to be handed over to the Transition team of the President elect. Indeed at yesterday’s meeting of the Transition team the reports from eight of the Ministries were handed over. Further at the meeting of the Transition team held yesterday (14/12/16) it was agreed that the rest of the handing over notes would be made available at the next meeting of the Transition team on Monday the 19th of December. Other allegations have been made in the public domain to the effect that the Government is recruiting new employees and signing contracts, creating the impression that the outgoing administration is engaging in acts of illegality.

It is important to point out that the current administration is the lawfully elected government of the Republic of Ghana and has the authority to exercise all the functions of government until the hand-over takes place to a new administration. The transition process should not be seen as a shut down of the administration of the outgoing government.

Members of the Government’s transition team are available for consultation and discussion with our counterparts on the other side in respect of any concerns they may have at any time.  The Committees that have been established under the provisions of the Act are required to work to ensure a smooth transition and are appropriate venues for discussions of any issues. Requests for discussions/information/clarification can be made to the leadership of the transition team on the government side or directly to individual members of the team. We wish to assure the people of Ghana that on the side of the out-going administration we are ready to do everything necessary to ensure a smooth transition.

While there has been a mandate for the change of political leadership as a result of the outcome of the elections held on the 7th of December 2016, the Government machinery and the institutions of government remain and continue their operations under the laws of our Republic. Both sides of the Transition team owe it to the people of Ghana to make our best efforts to work together to facilitate a peaceful transition and the more we engage each other as opposed to engaging ourselves through the media, the better it would be for the success of the process that we are undertaking. We do not believe that the transition exercise should be used as a platform to facilitate a witch-hunt, after the new administration of the next President takes over the reigns of Government.

The members of the transition team of the current administration want to affirm our commitment to ensuring a smooth handing over process to further enhance Ghana’s reputation as a beacon of democracy on the continent of Africa.

Hanna Tetteh
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration

Spokesperson for the Government Transition Team
Dated at Accra this 15th day of December 2016.
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana