A leading member of the New Patriotic Party is questioning the 2016 flag bearer of the party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s commitment to fighting corruption when the biggest opposition party in the past eight years under his watch has been turned into what the member described as “galamsey grounds.”
While the party’s 2016 flag bearer has given himself a clean bill of health on corruption and admonished persons relishing to make money not to join his government when he is elected president, his fellow party kingpin, who does not want his name mentioned, said present happenings in the NPP is antitheses of what Nana Akufo-Addo is preaching.
In a letter to The aL-hAJJ, Tuesday, the NPP linchpin, who is credited for his insightful analysis of political history in Ghana, could not fathom why Nana Akufo-Addo would go promising a “corruption free” government with him at the helm of affairs when the Daquah-Busia-Dombo tradition, even in opposition, and under his watch, is enmeshed in reckless sleaze.
According to the disgruntled NPP capo, the twice defeated presidential candidate’s “see no evil, talk no evil” attitude has created opportunity for his relatives and cronies to enrich themselves with party funds in the last two unsuccessful campaigns.
Bits of the letter which sought to question Nana Akufo-Addo’s commitment to fighting corruption reads “...But people have been making huge fortunes and money from all your campaigns since 2008 including your cousin Gabby Okyere Darko, your cronies and bootlickers as well as relations. Please give us a break with this hypocritical statement. The party under your watch in the last eight years has become a galamsey grounds.”
Addressing party folks at his cooling base in Manchester in the United Kingdom recently, the former Abuakwa South Member of Parliament sounded a note of caution to persons hoping to serve in his government with the sole aim of amassing wealth to look elsewhere.
“If your goal in coming into my government is to enrich yourself, then don’t come. Go to the private sector. Public service is going to be exactly that; public service,” he warned.
He announced that as President, he will create an office of Special Prosecutor in Ghana’s public space to ensure accountability.
The Special Prosecutor, he revealed, will be charged to fight against corruption.
But a top brass of the party mocked Nana Akufo-Addo’s promise to fight corruption, claiming “Gyaeka na yen gyae tie” to wit “stop saying it to our hearing.”
Citing instances where the party’s image under his (Nana Addo's) leadership had been dragged in the mud as a result of alleged claims of misappropriation of party funds, he noted “the NPP is in opposition and most of the guys surrounding Nana Akufo-Addo are unemployed yet they drive the latest cars in town, live in plush houses and wear the fancy dress in town.
Where do they get the money to do all these things? There are allegations of Lord Commey diverting items for the 2008 elections…his own cousin has been accused of using campaign funds to acquire a plush mansion at East Legon, has Nana Akufo Addo called for investigation into all these allegations?
Again, one of his cousin, Ken Ofori Atta is also alleged to have used the party as collateral for a loan at prudential bank, our national treasurer has been accused of pocketing some monies belonging to the party…now we are being told that John Boadu has also made some cuts for himself from the Wongbo, Dumsor vigil and Talensi bye-election, but our flag bearer is mute on these issues yet he goes round promising to fight corruption.”
According to the NPP guru, party activists plundering the party’s funds under the guise of working for the party while Nana Akufo-Addo looks on unconcerned, are the same people who will form his government in the unlikely event he is elected president “so he should please stop saying things he knows within himself that he cannot do.”
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