Statement: NPP denies Herald story

The attention of the New Patriotic Party has been drawn to a publication by the Herald Newspaper titled “NPP Invite people to Nana Addo’s swearing-in” in which the paper states that the NPP has began sending out invitations, via Facebook, to people, asking them to attend “The Swearing in Ceremony of H.E. Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo.”

This publication is clearly a concoction intended to create disaffection for the party and its Presidential Candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, by a newspaper, which over the years, has been remarkable for its absolute creativity and total disregard for the truth.

The paper reports that the NPP through the use of Facebook has sent out invitations to people inviting them to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Nana Akufo-Addo scheduled for Monday, January 7, 2012 at the Independence Square between the hours of 12:00pm and 5:00pm

This is a total lie. The leadership of the NPP would like to state that the party, Nana Akufo-Addo and members of his competent campaign team are focussed on prosecuting a decent and effective campaign focusing solely on the concerns and aspirations of people, and, God willing, voters consenting, to govern with programmes and policies to transform the economy and build a society of opportunities and hope for all.

The story alleges that German Chancellor, Angela Merkel’s invitation of Nana Akufo-Addo to Germany was based on this Facebook site. Similarly, a member of the government’s communications team, Samuel George, stated that Nana Akufo-Addo paid £250,000 to secure a meeting with British Prime Minister, David Cameron.

This is an insult to these national leaders and a bigger insult to the intelligence of those who fabricate such lies.

If such a Facebook account exists, then we wish to assure the general public that it has absolutely nothing to do with the NPP.

We will neither ask for an apology nor retraction from a paper situated deep in the partisan stable of the ruling party and dedicated to publishing false stories on our 2012 presidential candidate. We will rather appeal to the general public to, once again, ignore this false story for what it is - an unworthy story.

Ghanaians want practical remedies to the ailing Better Ghana Agenda and not practical, ugly jokes thrown in the public arena in the hope of diverting attention from the crass incompetence, weak leadership, corruption, economic hardships and growing unemployment being endured under this current administration.

......signed...... Perry Okudzeto NPP Deputy Communications Director