The NPP, realizing that it has entangled itself in its web of over politicizing this year’s Republic Day National Awards, is trying rather desperately to hang its being in a quagmire around the neck of NDC Leader and Presidential Candidate, Professor John Evans Atta Mills.
The NPP has been trying unsuccessfully to create a very erroneous impression and pan Professor Atta Mills out as a prevaricating person who earlier agreed to accept the award and then changed his mind.
Specifically, Stephen Asamoah Boateng and Dr. Kobina Arthur Kennedy, have put out untruths about Professor Atta Mills having agreed to accept the award and then changing his mind.
On Joy FM’s News Night Programme today, July 2, 2008, both officials of the NPP put out factual inaccuracies.
As regards Stephen Asamoah Boateng, he said that Professor Atta Mills, at the IEA Evening Encounter said that he would accept the award.
The records have it that at the Evening Encounter, Professor Atta Mills NEVER said anything close to what Stephen Asamoah Boateng put out.
Answering a question as to his take on what must have led to his being nominated for the award, Professor Atta Mills said that he did not nominate himself and so the questioner will get a more appropriate answer if the question was directed at President Kufuor.
So, at no point during the IEA Evening Encounter did Professor Atta Mills say that he will accept the award.
In the case of Dr. Kobina Arthur Kennedy, in a press release, the Communications Director of the Akufo-Addo campaign team let out the same untruth that Stephen Asamoah Boateng put out.
Dr. Kobina Arthur did not state on which platform Professor Atta Mills is supposed to have said that he will receive the award. Obviously, Dr. Arthur Kennedy was basing his assertion on hearsay.
The office of Professor Atta Mills, is making a categorical statement that the Leader and Presidential Candidate of the NDC gave no commitment to accepting the award.
The NDC Leader and Presidential Candidate’s statement about his inability to accept the award is his first and only position on the matter and the NPP will not be allowed to get away with the outright untruths it is peddling.
Koku Anyidoho (Head, Communications)
