Minority Leader to make statement in Parliament on Hotel

Accra, June 21, GNA - The Minority Leader, Mr Alban Bagbin would soon make a statement in Parliament on the controversy surrounding the acquisition of the hotel property near the private residence of President John Agyekum Kufuor.

Mr Bede Ziedeng, Acting General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), said the matter had assumed immense public importance and that Parliament, as representatives of the people, needed to take a dispassionate view to protect the image and credibility of the Presidency and the State. He told the Ghana News Agency that given the dimensions, which the case had taken, the NDC supported the view that Parliament should institute an enquiry into the matter. "Establishing the full facts and uncovering the whole truth will inspire trust and confidence of Ghanaians in our Parliament," Mr Ziedeng


said. Mr Bagbin is currently out of the country on official business and the Deputy Minority Leader; Mr Doe Adjaho said the Minority had placed the statement before the Speaker in conformity with parliamentary procedure.


Last month, President Kufuor denied media reports linking him personally to a hotel building close to his residence at the Airport Residential Area in Accra. "The President wishes to state that he has never sought to purchase the hotel under any guise, and has, therefore, not requested any individual or group to negotiate for the purchase of the said hotel on his behalf," a statement signed by Mr Kwadwo Mpiani, Chief of Staff and Minister of Presidential Affairs, said.

The statement said that while the President's eldest son, Mr John Addo Kufuor, also known as Chief Kufuor, had indicated that he had an interest in the said property, media reports sought to impugn this by alleging that the President Kufuor was the real owner and not his son. "His Excellency denies this categorically and says there is no basis for this unfounded allegation," the statement said.


In another development, Mr Ziedeng said Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, Former Vice President and Presidential Candidate of NDC in 2004, had notified the NDC National Executive of his intentions to hold a press conference on some pertinent national issues.