In spite of their recent decision not to co-operate with government’s probes and investigations into their acts of omission or commission, NDC’s Kwame Peprah will soon be called upon by the Serious Fraud office (SFO) to answer questions on the lease of the controversial Gulfstream III Presidential Jet.
Government Spokesman, Kwabena Agyepong who announced this said there are still unanswered questions with regards to how the jet was acquired and who the real owners are. The former Finance Minister who led the transaction leading to the lease of the jet would have to answer to the SFO how he got such a deal for Ghana.
Mr. Agyepong in reaction to last Tuesday’s press conference by the minority NDC denied that the government is out to destroy the NDC. “To suggest that the government has an ulterior motive against the NDC is unfair. The impression should not be created that these things are been done by the government.”
He wondered why a responsible opposition party like the NDC, “which I believe they are” should be making mountains out of hills.
Mr. Agyepong admits that the security agencies could step out of their bounds sometimes but adds without mincing words “if things are done overboard, we will check them, but investigations will continue.”
Political analysts have described the NDC’s decision as a mere bluff saying they do not have the right to take such a decision. Majority chief whip, Abraham Osei-Aidoo told the Network Herald that the NDC could decide to boycott the probes depending which body invites them.
He explained that they will be subverting the Constitution if refuse to appear before legally– mandated bodies like the Police, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI). However, it is in their right to decide whether to answer certain questions or not.
Hon. Osei-Aidoo also MP for Tema West said the laws of the country will be enforced if the NDC functionaries refuse to appear before the committees because that will amount to “obstruction of the cause of justice.”
The MP reminded the NDC of the need to draw the line between the state and the government else they might be stepping out of their bounds. He declined to comment on the so-called Special Investigation Task Force but maintained that those set up by the Constitution “can compel them using force.”
NDC’s spokesman on Justice, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni MP explained that the party’s decision is not to boycott investigation panels but would not co-operate with them.
He stated however that they will not appear before such a body as the Special Investigation Task Force, which he said, was put together by the Attorney-General, Nana Akufo-Addo. “It is an arbitrary body and has no legal existence.
He said the NPP is suffering from fixation of the past. According to Hon. Mumuni, the NPP government is eager to pay back the NDC for what happened during the PNDC era. He noted that this is very wrong because the PNDC ruled under a proclamation whilst the NPP is ruling under a Constitution and so should not be seen to be repeating the mistakes of the past.
