THE FORMER National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and now Leader of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), Dr Obed Yao Asamoah, has taken a swipe at both the NDC and the ruling party (NPP) of reducing the embarrassing cocaine saga in the country into personality attacks.
According to him, the entrench position already taken by the two parties resulting in unwarranted attacks and counter attacks was uncalled for. He has therefore called on both parties to stop the unnecessary noise and concentrate on issues of national development while the Committee of Inquiry is given free hand to operate to unravel the truth.
Dr. Asamoah stated that comments from both sides of the political divide including that of President Kufuor when he addressed party faithful at the Asylum Down office of the NPP Regional office on the cocaine saga, was tantamount to prejudice proceedings of the fact finding committee, which is chaired by Justice Mrs. Georgina Woode.
Speaking to the press after members of DFP visited the house of the late Justice D.F Annan, the former Speaker of Parliament to mourn and sign the book of condolence, Dr Asamoah, a legal luminary condemned the NDC and NPP for being at each others throat over revelations that he said could send wrong signals to the international community.
"I have taken the view that the comment that was being made by the social commentators, the write-ups in the papers, etc, was too much talk and I feel that it has the tendency to prejudice the work of the Committee of Inquiry."
He noted that it was indeed unfortunate for people start passing judgmental comments about some people who have already appeared before the Committee, "some people are said to be guilty, even though they have not been charged".
He asserted that the Committee was just a fact-finding one hence anybody who appears before it was not an accused person or standing trial.
"I thought that some of the comments were prejudicial to the Committee", arguing that the situation has even worsened now, taking into consideration the ratings of the NPP and the NDC coupled with insults and accusations. "This is the kind of policy that the DFP is against. They are reducing politics into personality attacks. Everybody is trying to see how he can denigrate anybody. That is bad", said Obed.
To Dr Asamoah, all and sundry should be looking at the issues as a concern for the nation. He contended that all parties should be able to hide their personal sentiments on the raging issue.
Reacting to what Mr. Kufuor said, the DFP boss intoned, "Whether he is a Chief Executive or not, nobody should do anything like personal attacks. Such things should not be encouraged. I think that on both the NDC sides and the NPP, some of the comments have been unfortunate. They should have allowed the Committee to come out with its findings and then, on the basis of these findings, one can pass judgment if the findings indicate that some elements of a political party are involved in the cocaine business, and then of course, we can make accusations on the basis of those findings. But until those findings are made, it is not fair to personalise the issue," he cautioned.
He advised both the NDC and the NPP to as he put it "stop messing around with people's life. They should look at things that matter instead of getting too personal."
The DFP kingpin stressed that Government should seek to address the salaries of the workers, complaining about the rate of fuel prices since according to him there were no moves to have alternatives to petrol.
"I have not seen that the Government has come out with policies about replacing things which use fuel. We should be thinking about alternative sources of energy," he said, indicating that Government can reduce fuel prices in the country by encouraging a kind of policy that would ensure that the citizens use the kind of vehicles that does not consume fuel since the nation does not produce fuel.
The former NDC Chairman eulogized the late Justice Annan, describing him "as a man who set up the pace for multi-party democracy in the country".
Earlier, the Acting National Chairman of the DFP, Alhaji Ishmael Bawa Isaka, paid a glowing tribute to the late Annan and signed the book of condolence on behalf of the yet to be outdoor party.
The Chairman, who was accompanied by Mr. Bede Ziedeng, the former Acting General Secretary of NDC, Nii Okaija Adamafio, former Minister of Interior, Mr. Stanley B.B Carboo, the ex-First Regional Chairman of NDC and Ex-MP for Ningo-Prampram, Neequaye Addison, Greater Accra Regional Coordinator of DFP, Mad. Ruby Fersin, National Treasurer of DFP, Mr. Charles Armah Ceylon, the leader of DFP propaganda and others.
A Nephew of the deceased, Mr. Henry Annan, received the DFP delegation on behalf of the family. Mr. Annan indicated that the family was planning to organise a press conference to outline programmes for the funeral activities.
The leadership of the DFP presented two bottles of schnapps with an undisclosed amount of money to the family.
