The National Union of Ghana Students, (NUGS) says it will take Osbert Lartey’s “Vanguard” newspaper to the National Media Commission (NMC) for allegations of bribery made against it. NUGS says the paper’s attempt to link the Union, which is non-partisan to the former president’s alleged plot to destabilize the country, is malicious and unfounded.
It denies any contact with the former president, and indeed, any financial favours from him, adding, its agitations are influenced only by the strong commitment of the leadership to ensure that education is given the attention it deserves and not by any political intentions. The Union resolved therefore at its congress last week, to drag the Vanguard to the NMC to prove the allegations it has made.
According to NUGS, these allegations are serious and it will be in the interest of not only the Union but also the entire country for the paper to produce evidence to support it for the appropriate action to be taken. The paper reported in its August 27 – September 2 under the banner headline “J.J Secures $50M to destabilize Ghana again” among other things that, “Vanguard learnt that the former president has already infiltrated NUGS with huge sums of money to sustain the tide of agitations against the government. Ghanaians are already beginning to see signs of this.”
NUGS says “the paper must mention the sum of money NUGS has taken and the person who took the money on behalf of NUGS.” In the said story, the Vanguard said it has gathered through its intelligence that, “part of the $50m booty will be used to entice and support some of the ailing private press that is hostile to the NPP administration and specifically Dr. Sam Jonah.”
The Vanguard continued; “other private newspapers allegedly targeted to be influenced by the Jerry Rawlings 2004 campaign team includes The Heritage, owned by the former Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Duffour, The Searchlight, allegedly supported by Mr. Kofi Totobi Quakyi and Nana Akuoku Sarpong, The Herald, which belongs to the Network Computer Limited and The Ghanaian Voice, allegedly partly sponsored by Jerry Rawlings NDC and the CPP.”
It added; “Conspicuously missing from the list of private newspapers to benefit from the alleged booty is Mr. Kwesi Pratt’s Insight.”
Meanwhile, the office of the former President has denied the story. The special assistant to the former president, Victor Smith said a complaint has been made to the National Security Co-ordinator, Francis Poku over the Vanguard publication.
According to Mr. Smith, the security co-ordinator assured him that he would instruct the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) to invite the editor of the paper to substantiate such a serious security matter and get back to him at a later date.
He was of the view that not only are such stories hurtful to the persons about whom they are written, but also extremely treasonable and must not be allowed to continue. Mr. Smith noted that if the security co-ordinator fails to take action on the matter as he has promised, he would go to the Media Commission for redress.
