Mahama peddled falsehood at meeting with diplomats – Gov’t

The government has criticized former President John Dramani Mahama’s meeting with some members of the diplomatic corps over the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence.

Mr. Mahama met some diplomats last week to share what gis office described as the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) view of Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence.

Addressing a news conference in Koforidua in the Eastern Region, Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said the former President only “peddled falsehood” at the said meeting.

He called on the President to apologize, as his actions might be prejudicial to the work of the Commission of Inquiry set up by President Akufo-Addo to look into the alleged cases of violence that characterized the elections.

”First, this is  an unfortunate act by a former President of the republic as it is prejudicial to the work of the committee. As one who has occupied the highest office of the land, it is unthinkable that he will make pronouncements that seek to prejudice or undermine the work of a fact finding committee at a meeting where he has invited diplomats to do so. We do not believe that in the various countries where diplomats come from, this prejudicial conduct  will be countenanced and we ought not to countenance them here as well,” he said.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah said the government would be serving notice this week to members of the diplomatic community that the former President’s narratives on the said videos  were “palpably false and designed to tarnish Ghana’s hard-worn reputation in the eyes of the international community.”

“Mr. Mahama’s presentation to the diplomats of that video as evidence of a said NPP vigilante group involved in the Ayawaso West Wuogon incidents is false and should be treated as such. The family of Mr. Agyarko has even had cause to deny this and the government will bring this formally to the attention of the diplomats. Ghana is regaining its place in the community of nations and her government will allow no person for whatever parochial interest to undercut our collective gains” the Minister added.

Criticism from Senior Minister

Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo Maafo also described the former President’s meeting with diplomats as shameful and unpatriotic.

He insisted that Mr. Mahama’s actions were distasteful and questioned why he was trying to blow the confusion out of proportion.

“What is he really after? What does former President Mahama want to portray? Why does he want to paint Ghana black When indeed there is nothing to paint black? There was some violence, it didn’t happen in a polling station, it happened as it were in the parliamentary candidate’s house away from any polling station and we’re yet to know who even shot. Why would you want this to look like a national disaster?”

Defense from Mr. Mahama’s office

Former President John Mahama’s office hit back at Senior Minister describing him as a hypocrite.

“It is shameful and hypocritical on the part of Mr. Osafo-Maafo that he had the temerity to decry Mr. Mahama’s meeting with diplomats the way he did,” a statement from it said.

The statement added that this was especially hypocritical because “Senior Minister still serves in the Akufo-Addo government under whose watch state-sponsored goons with weapons and Police SWAT hunter vehicles were unleashed on voters.”

By: Marian Ansah| citinewsroom.com| Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

Source: citifmonline.com