The Minority Caucus in Parliament has indicated that it will seek answers regarding the case of the Bulgarian Embassy demolition when Parliament resumes.
The NDC Caucus in a reaction to government’s statement on the demolition intimated that the release has left the Minority with lots of questions regarding the whole case.
“The NDC Caucus in Parliament shall be pursuing these germane questions from Ministers of State when Parliament resumes next week.”
Minority Caucus
According to the Minority, the Lands and Natural Resources Minister’s statement on the infamous Bulgarian Embassy demolition, has all the qualities of a farcical cover-up and whitewash which confirms the suspicion they have always had based on government’s “opaque conduct in the sordid affair of monumental international embarrassment”.
“Apart from confirming that the Bulgarian Embassy was illegally demolished under their watch, the government’s statement is a preposterous attempt to shield state officials who have done great damage to our country’s image in the comity of nations.”
Minority Caucus
The NDC Caucus in Parliament stated that they demand immediate answers to why government is refusing to publish the full report of the Sole Inquirer and questioned what government is hiding.
“Why is government silent on their obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961 which imposes a “special duty” on the Ghanaian government to take all appropriate steps to protect the premises of the mission against any intrusion or damage and to prevent any disturbance of the peace of the mission or impairment of its dignity?”
Minority Caucus
Why government not identifying complicit officials
The Minority further questioned why government is not identifying complicit officials at the Lands Commission to sanction. The Minority then questioned why the Lands Minister is now seeking advice from the Attorney-General on how sanctions should apply against the “apparent scape goat”. “Political opponents of this government are not treated with such kid gloves, they are promptly arrested and prosecuted.”
“Why did the Sole Inquirer not invite the Bulgarian Ambassador, H.E. Yanko Yordanov, despite his spirited effort to be heard by the Sole Inquirer? Engaging only his subordinate, the Honorary Consul was most inadequate and inappropriate.”
Minority Caucus
The Minority Caucus asked why government was protecting Dr. Yaw Adu-Ampomah, the President’s appointee at the NDPC, despite his clear complicity in inappropriately obtaining registration from the Lands Commission and defying the Foreign Ministry and Lands Ministry at various points as he continued with impunity to build his humongous structures.
“Considering that these demolishing of diplomatic properties have happened twice only under this Akufo-Addo government in Ghana’s entire 65-year history (to the Nigerians and the Bulgarians), why is there no concrete finding(s) on the causes, deliberate fault lines being exploited and commitments/assurances to prevent this colossal diplomatic embarrassment from recurring?”
Minority Caucus
The Minority in the statement also served a strong and unambiguous notice that the cover-ups and pathetic whitewash will not prevent a future NDC government from launching a “full-scale, no-holds-barred probe and a strict regime of punishing all complicit officials in the entire value chain within a more credible, patriotic and internationally acceptable best practice effort to restore Ghana’s once enviable reputation within the diplomatic community”.
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