The Deputy National Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Elikem Kotoko, has addressed the ‘witch hunting’ cries of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) after the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) declared former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta a fugitive.
The NPP, in their press conference to address their grievance, condemned the Special Prosecutor for calling Ken Ofori-Atta a fugitive, insisting that he was not a fugitive and could never be one.
However, Elikem felt the defense put up for the former Finance Minister by the NPP was insincere considering the petition some ministers made to former President Nana Akuffo Addo to dismiss Ken Ofori-Atta for his sheer incompetence.
“Was he not the same Ken Ofori-Atta that over 50 or 80 of the MP’s decided to tell the president to sack him? Ken Ofori-Atta lost credibility long before he even left office. But as to whether he’s a fugitive or not, I am not a lawyer. I’m not in the position to translate law”.
Elikem Kotoko, Deputy National Organizer of the NDC
In spite of his doubt of Ken Ofori-Atta being a fugitive, he inclined towards the OSP’s informed prerogative on the matter and encouraged the NPP to properly address their condemnation of the arrest warrant.
“I’m sure that the Office of the Special Prosecutor only has some concerns, matters he’s investigating, which I’m sure you may be aware of that he thinks Ken Ofori-Atta needs to be present to answer questions relating to”.
Elikem Kotoko, Deputy National Organizer of the NDC
Elikem urged the NPP communicators to go over and address their concerns with the OSP rather than make it a political debacle between themselves and the NDC.
If he believes he’s more knowledgeable and “no longer substandard” like he was tagged, “he should be able to reach out to the OSP to explain further”, Elikem said of Henry Nana Boakye who read the press on behalf of the NPP.
“You are free to also say he’s not a fugitive. The OSP is also free to say he’s a fugitive. It has nothing to do with the NDC”
Elikem Kotoko, Deputy National Organizer of the NDC
He also cautioned the party to present to the OSP evidence contrary to its current position on Ken Ofori-Atta, alongside their grievance.
Questions about the credibility of some members of the ORAL team by the NPP were invalidated by Elikem, who cited the integrity of the spokesperson of the press conference as grounds for dismissal.
He mentioned some of Henry Nana Boakye’s political misdeeds and concluded he, especially, “has lost credibility” and the moral right to try to discredit ORAL.
According to him, ORAL, which is still in its early days, does not warrant the reactions of the NPP and would not be affected by their “jittery” tantrums. “It’s going to bite very hard”, he assured.
“It’s just less than a month since President Mahama and the NDC took office, they cannot come and be telling the over 57% Ghanaian that they made a wrong choice”
Elikem Kotoko, Deputy National Organizer of the NDC
He walked through the work ORAL has done so far and tried to understand why the NPP was “crying foul”, seeing as all that has happened is the transmission of the committee’s report from the president to the Attorney General.
He further explained that the course of the OSP was apolitical as the cases under investigation concern every Ghanaian, irrespective of their political affiliations and should be embraced by all.
“These are matters of concern,” he said of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) – SML deal, the ECG Beijing contract, the National Cathedral Project, one constituency – one ambulance initiative, among others.
Elikem promised decisive action by the new government in dealing with all these issues. “Such broad day criminal thievery” he said, cannot be let go of like that.
“What Ghanaians want to see is the people who have plundered this country made to pay so dearly for it, even if they have to be prosecuted and sent to jail”
Elikem Kotoko, Deputy National Organizer of the NDC
Witch Hunting Accusations
The NDC government is going to go after justifiable prosecutions only, not “persecutions” and “witch hunts”.
“We have stated clearly that the NDC is not gonna be politically witch hunting anybody. We will not be persecuting anybody but if they are justified prosecutions, it must be done”
Elikem Kotoko, Deputy National Organizer of the NDC
He explained that the apology by the Majority leader in parliament, Mahama Ayariga, for the military raid of Ken Ofori-Atta’s residence, was not an admission of guilt for “witch hunting” by the NDC, but an extension of good “conscience” and a condemnation of an unsanctioned act.
He drew focus to the poor handling of the 2021 military invasion and the balloting scuffle in parliament and promised the NDC government would properly investigate and ensure “real accountability” in both issues.
He further asked for any justifiable reason why the NPP was labeling the anti-corruption efforts of President Mahama and the NDC as “witch hunting” but added that “witches need to be hunted” if found.
“So if any of them consider themselves to be witches, then they must be hunted but the NDC is not on any mission to witch hunt anybody”, he concluded.
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