10 June 2012

Is National Security Spying On Nana Addo?

A private meeting between flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and a delegation from the Danish Embassy on Thursday, was nearly marred when National Security officials invaded the venue demanding that they be allowed to join the meeting.

{sidebar id=11 align=right}About six (6) operatives from national security allegedly turned up at the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra, – where the Danish Ambassador to Ghana, H. E Carsten Nilaus Pedersen and the Danish Foreign Minister, Villy Sovndal, were set to hold a meeting with Nana Addo, – hell bent on sitting in the discussion.

The meeting, which was at the instance of the Danish counterparts, centred on the 2012 general elections and Nana Addo’s commitment towards a peaceful, free and fair polls.

Mustapha Hamid, an Aide to the NPP flagbearer, confirmed this in an interview with Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM’s morning show ‘Kokrokoo’.

He disclosed that when the NPP presidential candidate arrived at the venue, the Danish delegation informed him that some government operatives had approached them and wanted to be part of the discussion.

“The Denmark embassy invited Nana Addo to a meeting at the Movenpick hotel but when Nana got to the venue, he was informed by the Danish Ambassador that national security officials have invaded the venue and wanted to be part of the deliberations. According to the diplomats, the security operatives said they do not understand why the Danes will want to confer with an opposition leader…” he narrated.

{sidebar id=10 align=right}Eventually, he said, the meeting which was originally scheduled to be held in a private conference room had to be re-located since no amount of protestation could compel the national security operatives from taking leave of them.

“Finally, Nana Addo and the Danish delegation decided to let them have their way by holding the meeting in the open at the pool side. So the security operatives hovered around the poolside whiles Nana Addo and the diplomats held the meeting in the full glare of everyone,” he added.

Mustapha Hamid described the action by the security agencies as a huge “embarrassment” to the government adding that he is alarmed an opposition leader can no longer hold a meeting with foreign dignitaries without the presence of the national security.

He accused the ruling party of having the penchant of invading people’s privacy and exhibiting paranoia tendencies when faced with the reality that defeat is staring them in the face.

“…prior to the 2000 elections, some Italian diplomats and businessmen who were about to hold a meeting with then candidate Kufuor, were arrested and detained by the national security for no apparent reason,” Mustapha Hamid said.

But in a sharp riposte, government says no such incident occurred claiming it is a figment of the NPPs imagination.

A Deputy Information Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa asserts in an interview with JoyFM that it is a fabricated story and called on the NPP to credit national security with some intelligence.

According to him, if government was really interested in listening to the supposed private conversation, the security agencies could easily have wired the place without resorting to this “kindergarten” way of gathering information.

“We are totally surprised about this new allegation which has been cooked and concocted by the NPP…It never happened; it is a figment of the imagination of Mustapha Hamid and those who are concocting this claim,” he charged.

But the NPP insists the party will for no reason concoct a story involving diplomats and has dared the media to conduct their own independent investigation to ascertain the veracity of their claims.

“…it is only a liar who will say his witness is dead,” Mustapha Hamid countered.

Source: Peacefmonline

No comments

05 April 2012

PPP not yet a credible third force in Ghanaian politics: Kpessa Whyte

Political analyst, Dr. Kpessa Whyte says it would take the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) a long time to be recognized as a credible third force in Ghanaian politics.

He said the PPP is struggling for recognition alongside the two dominant political parties - the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) - that have dominated Ghana’s political scene for years. But he stated “it’s probably going to take them a very very long time”.

{sidebar id=10 align=right}Commenting on Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom’s acclamation as flagbearer of the party he founded on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show Wednesday, Dr. Whyte said he did not expect otherwise. The popular acclamation was done by constituency members of the party across the country.

But the political analyst has cautioned that history has shown that it is dangerous to build political parties around individuals. "Moreover if the PPP wants to be seen as a reliable third force, then it must espouse clear ideas that make them different from the other political parties and stop focusing on the upcoming elections in December" Dr. Whyte added:

“I have heard Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom talk about change and not change of the same kind but I haven’t heard any substantive policy in terms…of how differently they will deal with (issues)…” and how those policies will be implemented. “This is the only way I believe Ghanaians will begin to take them serious,” Dr. Whyte insisted.

Admitting that the country impatiently expects some positive transformation in the political arena, Dr. Whyte said he doubts Ghanaians would settle for just any party. “I think that Ghanaians are beginning to be critical, they are not necessarily going to vote for a political party for change just for the sake of change.”

He added that the nature of Ghana’s electoral system itself – winner takes all – poses significant challenge for the PPP. He said the two big political parties would continue to dominate the scene if reforms are not made in the electoral system. Dr. Whyte urged the PPP to study the NPP and the ruling NDC to examine areas the party can capitalize on to stand out.

He suggested the party should move to rural localities, meet and interact with the people and design policies relative to their needs instead of using the media.

For him, the PPP appears more to be contesting its‘mother party’ the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and not gearing up for general elections.

From: Dorcas Efe Mensah/Myjoyonline.com

No comments