Okudzeto Ablakwa Talks ‘By Heart’- Tuffour

The deputy minister of information Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has come under attack for his statement that Dr. Amoako Tuffour the one time leader of the school feeding program under the erstwhile NPP government has also been awarded a judgement debt. Reacting to the statement on Angel FM’s morning show, Dr. Amoako Tuffour expressed his disappointment in the statement of the deputy minister. ‘’I wonder why this gentleman goes about talking on issues without any fact...Excuse me to say but he talks ‘just by heart’..When I started working on the school feeding program I was given only allowances without a salary so when my salary was determined later, I claimed for all my outstanding salaries from the government and the court rightfully awarded my claim’’ he retorted.

When asked by the host of the show Kwame Adinkra how that differed from the other judgement debts, he said that what he was given by the court was his salary for the hard work he had done and could be referred to as judgement refund but not judgement debt. To him, his case is far different from the Woyome issue and other judgement debt cases because he was paid for work done. ‘’I remember this same gentleman and Kwasi Pratt spreading false information that I had used rotten tomatoes for the food provided under the school feeding program. It had to go on and on till I came out to question them if I was the cook for the school feeding program’’ he said. He added that the auditor general had audited and cleared him of all misdoings. Asked the actual money he was given by the court, he said he cannot disclose the amount on radio but promised that the money will be channelled into a foundation he has set up for poor and needy children. ‘’ for instance I go to hospitals and help pay the debts of children whose parents are finding difficulty in covering their health costs and also make donations to children’s homes.’’ he added.

It can be remembered that Dr. Tuffour was awarded GHC 130,000 by an Accra high court in May this year when he sued the government for wrongfully dismissing him from the school feeding program in April 2008.

N.K. Adjei

maxipulla@yahoo.com.sg

Freelance writer