Gov�t Propaganda Crash-Lands�As NPP Gurus Set Records Straight On 'Missing Files' Saga

Former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the defunct Ghana @ 50 Secretariat, Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby has described as diversionary tactics, desperate attempts by functionaries of the ruling government to sling mud at former officials who served in the erstwhile New Patriotic Party (NPP) for all the wrong reasons. Government has so far insisted that some officials of the opposition NPP stashed official documents on their way out of office in 2009. According to a Deputy Minister for Information, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, officials of the NPP cannot feign innocence and pretend as if the issue relating to stashing of official documents on their way out of office is new and totally strange to them He said such pretentiousness could only be far from the truth as government has a tall list of ex-government officials who took some of their files away To prove his case, the deputy minister went ahead to accuse Dr. Wereko Brobby of taking with him documents relating to the Ghana@50 investigations and brought it back only after he was compelled to do so. Aside the Ghana @ 50 boss, Ablakwa had earlier accused some former government officials including, Mr. Kwadwo Mpiani and Dr. Akoto Osei ex-minister of State at the Finance Ministry of the same offense. But Dr. Wereko-Brobby in a brief telephone interview with the New Crusading GUIDE yesterday stated that Ablakwa�s claims could never be true, therefore asking him to apologise to persons he accused of stealing various documents when they were handing over to the current administration. �I sent my report to Valerie Sackey at the end of Ghana @ 50, this report was written one month after closure� he said He explained further that the Ghana @ 50 Secretariat continued to operate till the end of February 2009 as such its files which had necessarily to be kept for as long as the Secretariat was open were all returned to Madam Valerie Sackey by some three people sent by him. �The files were received and signed for by a military officer in Valerie�s office. I have the receipts for the delivery, signed by all parties,� he stated. The former VRA boss who since the Woyome judgement debt scandal broke has been accused by pro- NDC tabloids of making Ghana lose over $31million following his said decision to import a Strategic Reserve Plant (SRP) said all these were products of covert ploys employed by government to divert attention from the scandal. He therefore challenged Ablakwa to state clearly how long he kept the Ghana @ 50 files, when specifically they asked him to return them and when he returned them to the relevant authorities. On the other hand, Dr. Akoto Osei thinks that the NDC has failed in its quest to ridicule former government officials but rather succeeded in compromising hitherto credible institutions of state. Responding to allegations that he (Akoto Osei) gave a statement to EOCO, indicating that some critical documents that were missing from the Ministry of Finance were sent to Mr. Mpiani on his instructions, the former minister said even if he indeed made those statements being attributed to him, it was not the job of Ablakwa to make those jarring noises about the issue on radio and TV. �These things go a long way to undermine our institutions, because whatever information we give to the BNI, Police or EOCO, it is not for government officials to go for them and distort them in the media only to score cheap political points. Do not forget also that we have a right to go there and not write statements at all,� he said. Explaining the incident that led to this palpable fabrication, Dr. Akote Osei recalled being asked about some MOFEP when he was invited to EOCO in May 2011, to which he explained that he was not the custodian of private documents that were handled by his late boss, Mr. Kwadwo Baah wiredu before his demise. According to him the late Minister�s secretary once hinted him about his late bosses� private documents, �and I remember vividly, telling her I was not interested in them and that she could take them to the appointing officer that is the office of President�, he added. �When the secretary was also invited by EOCO I told her to tell the investigative body what she knew about the issue and you can clearly tell this is what forms the basis for their false claims,� he posited. Very much convinced that this whole controversy about missing files was a propaganda tool to divert attention, the former minister explaining what pertained in government circles said files of such nature could not easily be stolen without trace. �If I write a letter, about six or so officers in the Ministry would have copies, the minister, deputy ministers, chief director, the registry and legal officer, etc we have nothing to hide and you should bear that in mind�. He however called the bluff of the deputy Information Minister, saying that his ranting and empty threats on radio were simply making a mockery of governance. �Who is afraid? We are not going anywhere, we will remain in this country and nothing will happen. When I was invited for the GIA case I was then in Kumasi but I drove all the way to Accra to answer the relevant questions,� he stated. Following these developments and accusations of stolen files, the former minister and Member of Parliament (MP), said the current government was encouraging a regime where all officials would necessarily have to keep copies of documents they signed while in office. Asked to propose a solution that may forestall future occurrences of such incidents, Dr. Akoto Osei said, the purpose of the Transition Bill is to correct some of these anomalies.