The Communication Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has described President Akufo-Addo’s setting up of the Office of the Special Prosecutor as a means of scoring “cheap political capital”.
Speaking at a press conference, Mr. Gyamfi noted that, the Office of the Special Prosecutor was never set up by President Akufo-Addo out of a genuine will to fight corruption.
“This position that we in the NDC have always espoused is grounded on the fact that, from the very outset, President Akufo-Addo conceived this office as one to be used to spite his political opponents, while protecting his own who are busy plundering the resources of our beloved country.
“This view is buttressed by the very opening paragraph of Mr. Martin Amidu’s letter of resignation in which he reveals that his letter of appointment as the Special Prosecutor was issued on 30th January, 2020 and only delivered to him, on 5th February, 2020, two clear years after his appointment.
“Clearly, to all intents and purposes, President Akufo-Addo set-up the Special Prosecutor’s Office to score cheap political capital and nothing more”.
In light of this, the NDC’s Communication officer asserted that, anyone harboring any hope of President Akufo-Addo fighting corruption “would have given up by now”.
He further accused the government of insisting to carry out the masterminding of the “Agyapa Royalties scam”, citing instances of collusion between the president and Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
“Only last week, friends from the media, we addressed you on our observations relative to the risk of corruption assessment conducted by the Special Prosecutor on the ‘Agyapa’ Royalties scam.
“As has become the nature of President Akufo-Addo, this so-called review was to afford him and his cousin the Finance Minister, the opportunity to whitewash their crimes in the ‘Agyapa’ deal which had been badly exposed by the Special Prosecutor.
“… Special Prosecutor tells the whole world how President Akufo-Addo once again invited him to his office on 1st November, 2020, and ordered him to accept and incorporate into his risk of corruption assessment report, comments from his cousin and Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta who was himself the subject of investigation in the ‘Agyapa’ heist”.
Commenting on the former Special Prosecutor’s rebuttal on the president acceptance of his resignation, he noted that, per the audio, President Akufo Addo’s cousin and finance minister, Ken Ofori Atta, “actually went to the house of the Special Prosecutor at the time he was conducting the corruption risk assessment on the Agyapa matter to influence his work”.
With this, he accused President Akufo-Addo of cementing “his dubious reputation as the ‘Corruption Clearing Agent’ is no longer in doubt”.
In furtherance he stated that, since assuming office as President, Akufo-Addo’s “only way of fighting corruption is to sweep serious crimes under the carpet and declare his appointees innocent even before they are investigated”.
Mr. Gyamfi further quipped why “the President’s been this desperate in the ‘Agyapa’ matter? How could President Akufo-Addo, a man who swore to defend the cause of right, be this corrupt?”
“To say that President Akufo-Addo’s so-called fight against corruption has been lost, is an understatement. Today, every critical voice of dissent that dares to talk about the unprecedented corruption under this government has been suppressed.
“The NPP/Akufo-Addo government to have gone to the extent of threatening Mr. Martin Amidu with death for undertaking the Agyapa anti-corruption risk assessment, this speaks volumes about President Akufo Addo’s determination to fight anyone who dares to fight corruption in his government”.
