Obed Asamoah threatens The Statesman

Accra (Greater Accra) - The Chairman of the National Democratic Congress Dr Obed Yao Asamoah has finally threatened to take action against the numerous allegations of corruption and financial impropriety made against him by members of his own party, some of whom had been described unfavourably as ?suicide-bombers?.

Unfortunately, however, he has also threatened to take legal action against the wrong ?foe? - The Statesman. Dr Asamoah gave the paper until today, 15 May 2002 to apologise under his terms or face legal action over what he perceives to be ?a very serious libel? which has caused him ?considerable embarrassment and distress.?

This may seem a bit rich, coming from a man who had recently survived a virulent shelling of reputation-dismembering proportions from the likes of Dr Tony Aidoo, a fellow member on the NDC National Executive Council. The piece that finally managed to distress Dr Asamoah is the article titled ?Charisma in Quagmire? which appeared in the ?Folio 48 in Hiding? column of the paper of Friday 3 May 2002. The article stated in part.

?Remembering when Obed was accused some years ago of stealing monies belonging to flood victims, NDC came out and strongly lashed at NPP, then in opposition. Now NDC is also accusing Obed of stealing, and with a thieving chairman to lead them with stolen money, he might as well bring in a Mr Clean??

This, Dr Obed Asamoah, one of the country?s most experienced legal minds, apparently finds more damaging than any of the ?suicide-bombs? figuratively detonated within the party and at his chairmanship bid in the weeks leading on to the NDC Congress. Our columnist mainly repeated the accusations that had been thrown at Dr Asamoah by the Tony Aidoos and the Spio-Garbrahs and went on to take a cue from there to draw a hypothetical but logical conclusion in that context.

?I have let lot of things pass,? the NDC Chairman told this paper, ?but I take exception to the specific allegations laid against me by the article.? He subsequently dispatched Kwaku Baah, a colleague lawyer and Vice Chairman of the NDC, who drove to the office of the Statesman at Kokomlemle in the company of three other men, to deliver the message to the Editor.

The letter asked ?as a matter of urgency a full and unequivocal retraction and apology in terms to be approved by us, and an undertaking not to repeat these allegations.? He further warned, through his solicitor, Kwaku Baah, that, ?if we have not received a satisfactory reply by close of day on 15 May 2002 our instructions are to issue a writ.?

When contacted, Dr Asamoah repeated to the Editor-in-Chief of The Statesman, Asare Otchere-Darko, his demand for an apology. This Otchere-Darko agreed to do. But, not without expressing his dismay to the NDC Chairman, a man he enjoys some cordial relationship with.

?Well, we acknowledge his right to an apology if he feels injured,? says Asare-Otchere Darko, adding, ?Indeed, we fully apologise for the distress and embarrassment caused to his person and we offer him an undertaking not to repeat these allegations.?

It will be recalled that in a widely circulated document that accused Dr Asamoah of financial impropriety, members of his party, apparently from the pro-Rawlings group state: ?Nobody in the party has the slightest idea of the total quantities of money he (Dr Obed Asamoah) has received over the years from the party faithfuls and from funds mobilised by other senior members of the party.?

The document went on to allege that: ?He has been dishonest as Finance Committee Chairman, by privatising NDC?s money, diverting some to unauthorised people, losing some from his bedroom and chopping some.?

Dr Asamoah was accused by Tony Aidoo of ?diverting considerable amounts of NDC resources to Verandah Boys and Girls Club and to other unknown or unapproved individuals, further accusing him of ?never fully amounting for his stewardship as Finance Committee Chairman.?

There is a saying that when the crocodile comes from water to announce that the fish has been afflicted by an illness, one cannot doubt it. Ghanaians could therefore be forgiven for presuming that since it was members of the NDC who were accusing Dr Asamoah of dishonesty the charges could not be lightly dismissed.

Besides, these were not just ordinary members of the party, but high-profile ones who had the occasion of serving with Dr Asamoah in government. The Statesman, nevertheless, takes this opportunity to unreservedly apologise to Dr Obed Asamoah for any embarrassment or distress the article might have caused him. We, stand by our editorial that we pray he introduces real democracy into Ghana?s second largest political party. ? The Statesman.