Bagbin is a “big liar” – Stan Dogbe

Presidential Staffer, Stan Dogbe, has described Nadowli-Kaleo Member of Parliament, Alban Bagbin as a "big liar" who is spreading "falsehood" about President John Mahama.

Dogbe says he is befuddled by Bagbin’s claim that his persistent attempts to have access to the president to offer him private counsel about the festering corruption in his administration have proved futile and thus, his (Bagbin’s) decision to start offering such advise in public.

“The claim that he had to recently ‘call the president for me to say since I cannot get you people in private to advise, I will start advising you in public, because I am deeply worried about the situation in Ghana’, is false and a big lie. No such call was placed by Bagbin to the president”, Dogbe said.

According to him, “…If you are unable to reach him as you claim, how did you then reach him to tell him you'll be going public with your advice?”

“Meanwhile, Mr. Bagbin knows he was lying to the people of Ghana and the world when he made these claims”, Dogbe asserted in an article. He insists Bagbin “has at no time called the president to pass on that message” and adds that: “The public and the media are free to find out from other staffers at the presidency, which of them has a difficulty in reaching out to the president”.

Dogbe said: “…everybody who wants to see the president knows what to do to see him” and wondered: “Would Bagbin say he wants to see the president and be told No? How is that possible?”

He said: “President Mahama is and remains one of the most accessible and available presidents of our time. From his home, to his office, to his guest house during regional trips, he has always opened up and listened to everybody and it can even been a protocol nightmare because many of this meetings and visits are unplanned and untimed”.

“Why go out and lie about a former colleague MP and now president? What is it that can motivate one to engage in such media attacks on the leader of your party in your quest to portray to who that you are more concerned and committed to solving the problems of Ghana more than any other”, Dogbe deplored.

He blamed the alleged corruption being perpetrated at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital on Bagbin’s failure to fight the canker when he was the minister of health in the Mills administration.

“What concrete actions did Hon. Bagbin take as Minister for Health when issues of concern arose in Korle Bu? If he had acted decisively and in the manner he is spewing out now, would we have been where we are?”

He noted that: “It took the new board constituted by the late Mills to start checking the system and identifying the loop holes which it also started to seal. Didn't we read media cohorts of the 'persons involved in these acts' making noise about the board bringing in people to do this and that? Would we have been there if Bagbin acted and performed the functions assigned him as Minister for Health? If you failed, leaving the issues to deteriorate why do you now come and blame the President who just came into office and is quietly tackling the issues?”

He said even though Bagbin’s comments need not be dignified with a response, nonetheless, “why must he lie and expose the President of our beloved country and leader of our dear party to public ridicule when he knows very well that he was only spewing out falsehood against an innocent man”.

“Couldn't our honorable senior had made his views known about the fight against corruption without attacking the president unjustifiably and lying against him?”

Below is Stan Dogbe’s full response to Alban Bagbin

I want to believe that the quotation published by myjoyonline.com as coming from the MP for Nadowli is not what he actually said. Because, more often than not, when people say things and are quoted, they are quick in private discussions to deny flatly and claim that they were misquoted.

Everyone is welcome to join in the fight against corruption, and if talking down to people including the President is what will make some happy that indeed they are fighting corruption, then it is welcome.

My colleagues and I and indeed a large section of the Ghanaian population know that he (President John Mahama) has been working quietly towards managing what clearly is a challenge facing our country. Corruption is not a disease afflicting the political class only, and it is sad that Hon Bagbin would even want to join the chorus that suggests that it is the case.

What is happening inside Korle Bu, assuming without admitting that it is the case, is it being perpetrated by politicians? Indeed, the media is worse when it comes to improper behaviour relating to unconscionable acts including what are worse forms of corruption. Are these politicians?

It therefore requires the collective will of all towards tackling what is clearly a development that we must all be concerned about. The workers in Korle Bu, the civil servants, the police officers, the journalists, the city guards, the dvla workers are our brothers, sisters, children, mothers, fathers, uncles, aunties, girlfriends, boyfriends, husbands, wives etc. Are they all siblings or children of President Mahama?

What concrete actions did Hon. Bagbin take as Minister for Health when issues of concern arose in Korle Bu? If he had acted decisively and in the manner he is spewing out now, would we have been where we are?

It took the new board constituted by the late Mills to start checking the system and identifying the loop holes which it also started to seal. Didn't we read media cohorts of the 'persons involved in these acts' making noise about the board bringing in people to do this and that? Would we have been there if Bagbin acted and performed the functions assigned him as Minister for Health?

If you failed, leaving the issues to deteriorate why do you now come and blame the President who just came into office and is quietly tackling the issues? President Mahama is the calm type like his former boss, the late John Mills. But their demeanor cannot and should not be a basis for unwarranted attacks and lies about them because they will not make any public comments.

Mr. Bagbin talks about being deeply worried about how the country is being governed and he is unable to reach the president. If you are unable to reach him as you claim how did you then reach him to tell him you'll be going public with your advice? Meanwhile, Mr. Bagbin knows he was lying to the people of Ghana and the world when he made these claims.

He has at no time called the president to pass on that message. The public and the media are free to find out from other staffers at the President, which of them has a difficulty in reaching out to the President.

When Mr,. Bagbin was a Minister of State, how many of the people who wanted to see him went beyond the first floor to be able to have access to him? Was that not because he clearly was occupied and working? Must the president come to work and open his doors and say whoever want to see me, come in? Obviously not. But haven said that, everybody who wants to see the president knows what to do to see him. Would Bagbin say he wants to see the president and be told No? How is that possible?

President Mahama is and remains one of the most accessible and available Presidents of our time. From his home, to his office, to his guest house during regional trips, he has always opened up and listened to everybody and it can even been a protocol nightmare because many of this meetings and visits are unplanned and untimed.

Why go out and lie about a former colleague MP and now President? What is it that can motivate one to engage in such media attacks on the leader of your party in your quest to portray to who that you are more concerned and committed to solving the problems of Ghana more than any other.

Millions of ordinary Ghanaians, through the President's direct public engagement channel, ASK THE PRESIDENT, a button on his website, interact with him and share ideas and concerns and suggestions with him. Has Hon, Bagbin submitted to the president any paper on anything and has been told to come take it away?

Through this online platform, and the president's direct email, ask@oop.gov.gh, he continues to learn at first hand many of the concerns of people, reports of attempted fraud, poor customer service in various public institutions, acts of corruption among others, and which are all being investigated and acted upon. Our great party is the party for this country because we have our country at heart, and our president reflects that vision and concern for our country. We cannot for our own personal political reasons continue to destroy and dent the image of the president in the manner that we do. I am a young man, yes. But I have been around long enough to know that if we destroy the leader, the vehicle will not remain strong for us to use to champion whatever ambitions we also hold. Yes, why respond to Hon Bagbin at all. But why must he lie and expose the President of our beloved country and leader of our dear party to public ridicule when he knows very well that he was only spewing out falsehood against an innocent man.

Couldn't our honorable senior had made his views known about the fight against corruption without attacking the president unjustifiably and lying against him? The claim that he had to recently "call the president for me to say since I cannot get you people in private to advise, I will start advising you in public, because I am deeply worried about the situation in Ghana", is false and a big lie. No such call was placed by Bagbin to the President.

President John Mahama remains accessible and will be accessible. Mathew 13:24.