Rawlings' Phone Tapped

The Campaign Coordinator for Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings� presidential bid, Michael Teye Nyaunu, has confirmed media reports alleging that the former first couple�s mobile phones as well as those of their allies and campaign team members have been tapped by the National Security outfit. Mr. Nyaunu claims that National Security operatives have been eavesdropping on the Rawlingses� phone conversations to monitor their campaign strategy. According to Teye Nyaunu, the phone tapping started a long time ago but intensified after Mrs. Rawlings declared her intention to contest President Mills for the flagbearerhip slot of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC). Daily Guide had published in yesterday�s edition that it had received information about the alleged tapping of the Rawlingses� phones by the National Security. Confirming that the team had suspected such phone tapping for sometime, Mr. Nyaunu told Citi FM that former President Rawlings and his wife would not be deterred. �Of course they are really tapping our phones, but I am not surprised because this has been the stock in trade of the security agencies for some time. I am aware they had the phone tapping machine and I knew what they are doing with it. What is important is that you say what you want to say on the telephone and you say what you don�t want to say outside the telephone.� Asked whether he had evidence that the telephone lines of the former first lady had been tapped by the security agencies, he answered in the affirmative. �Definitely it has been tapped, if they have tapped mine, then what about the candidate herself and that of the former President? The security agencies get into this and the ultimate aim is to get the information to the government.� Mr. Nyaunu also confirmed that the Konadu campaign team had been able to secure all the requisite endorsements for the former first lady�s nomination forms, despite earlier claims that the team�s efforts were being frustrated by allies of President Mills. The team expects to submit the forms by June 1. President Mills� campaign team also intends submitting his nomination forms the same day. Daily Guide had reported that it had received information about the tapping of phones belonging to Nana Konadu�s campaign team members and they were now afraid to use their mobile phones to communicate with one another about campaign plans and schemes. This situation is said to be causing serious communication problems for the Konadu camp as they now have to travel from one place to another to meet their members in a face-to-face setting to communicate. The paper learnt that a simple instruction which could be given to key members of the campaign team within a matter of seconds now lasts for many hours or even days. This situation is said to be slowing the fast pace and momentum the Nana Konadu campaign was gathering after the former First Lady launched her campaign. A leading member of the campaign team corroborated the DAILY GUIDE report and went further to state that indeed the Mills camp was behind the phone tapping. The staunch Konadu supporter, who pleaded anonymity, alleged that security personnel at the Osu Castle leaked the phone tapping information to them. According to him, the Castle security personnel warned the Nana Konadu camp not to discuss any important information about their campaign on phone again. He said the security man said the president�s campaign team had realized they were still trailing Nana Konadu even at constituencies where they first thought they held a comfortable lead. Jittery over this latest shocking development, the Mills camp, the Castle security staff alleged, wants to tap the phone lines of Nana Konadu and her campaign members. This, the staunch Konadu supporter said, would enable the President�s campaign team to become abreast with every campaign plan of the former First Lady and provide solutions to counter them.