Four comrades were not found guilty - Dr. Delle

Accra, Sept. 18, GNA - Dr Edmund Delle, Chairman of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) on Saturday said the Disciplinary Committee that sat on the four comrades brought before it, did not found them guilty as the word "pardon" in the press statement seemed to have suggested. He told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that the major decision the committee took was to allow comradeship to work and prevail and that "...no saws be hacked by sanctions to create wounds difficult to heal. "They were not guilty. That is not the essence of the findings and recommendations of the committee. Words like "The four gangs" being used in the media to the four honorable comrades should be avoided," the CPP Chairman advised.

The four members, Professor George Hagan, Chairman of the National Commission on Culture, Paa Kwasi Nduom, Energy Minister in the current administration, Dr Vladimir Antwi-Danso, a lecturer at the University of Ghana, and Mr. Kwaku Baako, a Journalist, appeared before the committee for their pronouncements in the media seen to undermine the CPP's credibility and fortunes.

Dr Delle said, "The Committee made no recommendation for any formal sanctions and in the spirit of comradeship urges the Central Committee of the party to be circumspect as regards the craving for punishment. "The public image of unity is crucial to the fortunes of the party so the Committee in their wisdom recognizes with satisfaction and pleasure, the CPP's tradition to the effect that water is never allowed to simmer to the explosive boiling point before comradeship would secure calm and cordiality," he said.

Dr Delle said the Committee praised and placed on record, the respect with which all the four comrades displayed before it saying," the Committee was impressed with the sobriety of conduct and a clear sense of responsible attitude. "Besides, what is important is that all the four expressed their total commitment to the party and have all resolved to work together to move the party forward," he said.

However, the party's Chairman said the committee recommended that all party parliamentary candidates or party officials should abide by any decision by the central committee to resist all temptation that would create any dichotomy in the presidential and parliamentary campaign activity. He said all four comrades agreed that derogatory and uncomplimentary media utterances and public acrimony of one comrade against the other was very unhealthy and should be avoided.

Dr Delle said the Committee further said letters be sent to the comrades stating that the committee's findings and recommendations were meant to solicit calm and comradeship. He said it also recommended a reconciliatory meeting for the party leadership, the disciplinary committee and the four comrades. Dr Delle said, the committee required of him as the party's Chairman to issue a circular firmly prohibiting, on pain of party sanctions, the individual comrade from making media or public comments on national affairs suggesting a position or purporting to represent the view of the party.

The disciplinary committee comprised Mr. K.S.P. Jantuah, Chairman/Convenor), Mr. J.K.A. Tamakloe, Mr. Riley Poku, Mrs. Jane Chinebuah and Ms Ella Dove.