The Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has demanded an apology and a retraction of statement from the North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, for allegedly peddling falsehood against him.
Godfred Dame intimated that he considers the allegations by Mr. Ablakwa as malevolent and ill-inspired for a simple reason that, a cursory examination of the facts would reveal the untruth in them.
“My attention has been drawn to a publication by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (MP) on his Facebook page on 21st June, 2022. The foregoing allegation is utterly false.
“I call on the Member of Parliament to retract and apologize to the public for the falsehood he has published against me, failing which I may institute legal action against him.”
Godfred Yeboah Dame
The Attorney General noted that Okudzeto Ablakwa has since followed up his claims with a number of interviews on various media platforms repeating the same or similar allegations against him. Godfred Dame averred that Mr. Abakwa’s completely dishonest allegations have spurred other members of the public to make similar statements about him, either out of ignorance or plain mischief.
Clarifying certain claims by Mr. Ablakwa, Godfred Dame put on record that, the approval of application to single-source Messrs, Sir David Adjaye and Associates was granted by the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) on 13th December, 2018.
National Cathedral, a non-profit making entity
Godfred Dame revealed also that the National Cathedral of Ghana was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee making it a non-profitmaking entity on 18th July 2019.
“Quite clearly, at the time of approval by PPA, (on whose governing board I served in my former capacity as Deputy Attorney-General), no company known as the National Cathedral of Ghana had been formed for me to be secretary of, or have any purported interest in to declare. I could not have a so-called interest in a non-existent company. If Mr. Ablakwa had cared to read or examine the relevant documents well, as he should have, this plain fact would not have been lost to him.”
Godfred Yeboah Dame
According to Mr. Dame, he is neither a registered director nor a subscriber of the National Cathedral. He averred that his status as a Secretary to the Company at incorporation was solely on account of his status as Attorney General.
“The company was set up by the state in the exercise of its full capacity. In fact, the registered subscriber (member or owner) is the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board, an organ of State. The plain facts would have been obvious to Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa, if he had done a little research or enquiry, which he owed a duty to do, before rushing to the media with wild and unfounded allegations.”
Godfred Yeboah Dame
The Attorney General further stated that his role as Secretary and not a member to the non-profit company owed by the State does not present him with any personal interest which conflicts with the performance of his functions as a Minister.
“The records reflects the fact that even in respect of companies limited by liability (profit-making entities), the State regularly appoints public officers, including Ministers, to serve as members of the board of directors to protect the public interest where the State is a shareholder.”
Godfred Yeboah Dame
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