By William Yaw Owusu
Wednesday, 04 June 2008
The United Renaissance Party (URP), has challenged the media to be more critical of government policies and actions to bring total development.
"The future of Ghanaians depends largely on how vibrant the media can be. It is the duty and responsibility of the media to tell the truth because without them democracy can never triumph."
Charles Kofi Wayo, leader and founder of the URP, said this at a news conference in Accra on Monday to state the party’s position on the current "state of the nation".
He said it has now become necessary for all political parties to work together to fight for what he called "the liberation of the media," since he claimed the current media was not "criticising the government hard enough".
Mr Wayo accused the government and the security agencies of being incapable in the fight against the cocaine trade which he said posed a threat to the entire nation.
"We need a grand jury probe into the circumstances leading to the influx of cocaine into Ghana.
"There is no way that drug barons would ship cocaine into Ghana if that person does not have a guarantee from those in authority."
He alleged that during the NDC regime "narcotic drug business was done in the quiet but in the NPP administration, it is done openly."
He also claimed that Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, flag-bearer of the CPP, allegedly transferred 1.4 million dollars outside the country illegally adding "he is still a citizen of the United States but is being allowed to run for the presidential election".
Mr Wayo further alleged that Nana Akufo-Addo, flag-bearer of the NPP, tabled a motion in Parliament that allowed people convicted for drug trafficking outside Ghana to be brought back home to serve their sentences.
As a result, Mr Wayo alleged that Nana Akufo-Addo’s brother-in-law called Raymond Amankwah had benefited and got his assets deconfiscated when the NPP flag-bearer was the Attorney General.
He also attacked the international community for labelling Ghana as a safe place when extreme poverty still prevails.
Answering questions on how the URP will fight the narcotic drug menace if voted into power, Mr Wayo said "there will be massive surveillance on those involved in the illicit trade".
On the issue of corruption, the URP leader said "you cannot stop it but when my government gets any culprit, that person will never have the chance to do it again".
Dr Joseph Awuja, a spokesperson for the URP, in his introductory remarks, said "a URP government will see to it that human decency prevails and should we fail within 100 days we will organise our own retirement".
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