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PPP TRUTH SQUAD TO MAHAMA: HOW MUCH HAS THE �THANK YOU� TOUR COST THE TAXPAYER? The PPP Truth Squad wants President John Dramani Mahama to disclose to Ghanaians in a true spirit of transparency, integrity and accountability how much the so-called �Thank You� tour to all the ten regions of the country has cost the taxpayer. During this tour, we have seen the collection of chiefs, ministers of state, district, municipal and metropolitan chief executives and all manner of government officials who we believe have been facilitated through the use of the public purse to welcome, receive the President and participate in the various durbars, visits to markets and lorry parks and rides through the principal streets in the regions. Money has been spent on telephone calls, fuel, food, per diem, gifts, transportation (including by plane) at the expense of taxpayer. At the just ended congress of the NDC, former President and founder of the NDC J. J. Rawlings asked President John Mahama to show integrity, choose the path to righteousness and also purge his administration of ��babies with hard teeth�. We agree with President Rawlings. The PPP�s National Secretary last week wrote that ��blatant abuse of incumbency and using state resources for partisan NDC campaign for the presidency is against the Principle of Incorruptible Leadership.� He reminded President Mahama and the NDC that concerns were being expressed by political parties, religious leaders and civil societies in general about this tour to introduce President Mahama to the people. He wrote that �The NDC and the President have designed and executed a disingenuous way to introduce John Mahama to the people dressed up as a thank you tour for how Ghanaians mourned the passing of our late President.� The PPP asked the question, �Who is paying for all this expenditure?� The PPP has on several occasions pointed out that there are huge billboards of His Excellency John Mahama and former president Prof. Atta-Mills ostensibly put up to promote and give advantage to the candidacy of the former in the 2012 elections. There are adverts in the newspapers showing the two together. Who is paying for these billboards and newspaper adverts? Is it at the expense of the tax payer? If so, the PPP�s point is that such practices will not ensure peace unity in Ghana when one party gets undue advantage for being in government? This is not the road to free and fair elections. Cheating does not only take place on the day of voting. As President J. J. Rawlings rightly pointed out, the NDC sent its �babies with sharp teeth� to attack those seeking the truth, transparency and accountability when called to account for the use of our tax money. Indeed, when President John Mahama, Vice-President K. B. Amissah-Arthur, Ministers of State and other government officials took official vehicles with fuel to the NDC Congress in Kumasi, who footed that transportation and fuel bill? The tax payer? Is this the way to introduce John Mahama as �Ahobrasehene�? Once again, we wish to remind President Mahama about the call made by the PPP�s Presidential Candidate Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom for transparency and accountability. Dr. Nduom set the agenda for the 2012 campaign with the strong commitment for incorruptible leadership and competency. For the benefit of President Mahama and the NDC, we reproduce the challenge thrown by Dr. Nduom: -Introduce amendments to the 1992 Constitution that will make three critical changes for progress in Ghana: 1) prohibit Members of Parliament from being appointed as Minsters of State, 2) return the power to the people for all Ghanaians to directly elect their district, municipal and metropolitan chief executives without any interference from the President and 3) strengthen the office of District Attorney by separating it from the Ministry of Justice; -Make available to the public asset declarations, income tax returns, health records and sources of campaign funding before the December 7th elections; and -Conduct a campaign to prove competence and ability to offer solutions to the nation�s numerous problems. We want all Ghanaians to be stand up and counted in the fight against abuse of incumbency. The PPP�s Bright Red Sun is shining brightly against corruption, cheating and waste of the tax payers� money. The PPP Truth Squad is Wide Awake! Alistair Nelson PPP Truth Squad Spokesperson 31 August 2012