Vice President John Dramani Mahama was in London recently
Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com
By William Yaw Owusu
Wednesday July 14, 2010
THE NEW Patriotic Party’s UK branch (NPP/UK) has lambasted the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) government describing them as “hypocrites” and “insensitive.”
A release issued in London and signed by Nana Yaw Sarpong, Communications Officer for NPP UK and copied to the Ghana media said the NDC’s hypocrisy was manifested when Vice President John Dramani Mahama visited London recently.
“For all their touting as social democrats, the Vice President stayed in one of the most expensive hotels in London, the Landmark Hotel at the expense of the Ghanaian tax payer.”
“This is the same hotel the NDC vehemently criticized ex-President Kufuor for lodging at while in opposition even though it was at the expense of the British taxpayer because he was being hosted by the British government while on a state visit to celebrate Ghana @ 50 in March 2007.”
The statement claimed “since Mr. Mahama failed to tell us why he was in the UK we would like to ask him to explain why he came, if only indeed he came to answer only four questions and the justification for spending hundreds of thousands of tax payers’ money in the Landmark Hotel.
“Our sources inform us that he was on a wild goose chase for investors but the leanings and the attitude of the NDC are off putting for investors therefore he went home empty handed,” it further claimed.
“Critical questions were asked ranging from the state of the economy, the mining disaster in which galamsey miners lost their lives, the debacle at our ports, the huge electricity and water tariffs and the reasons behind the sacking of Dr. Kwame Ampofo from the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR). Even though we did not get any tangible answers for any of these questions, we thank the Vice President for at least telling us what the Transport Minister had denied all along in the past, that is, all main roads linking our towns throughout the country will be tolled and taxed.”
The release said “a simple question was asked on how Ghanaians are going to pay for these tolls when real incomes have decreased as much as 40% and the Vice President rambled on with incoherent answers.”
“We were astonished by the Vice President’s response to the deaths of ‘galamsey’ miners who died in a pit; that not all those who died were Ghanaians thus it was not an issue to worry about. We would like to remind the Vice President that as a member of ECOWAS, Africa Union and even as human beings we owe a duty of care and protection to everybody who lives and works on the soil of Ghana. Such are the rules of international law and International humanity.”
On the question about the mismanagement going on at the ports, the delay in clearing goods and whether Carl Wilson the Chairman of the Vehicle Assets Confiscation Committee was still at post the release said “we got a curious answer; Carl Wilson will soon be put on trial to answer allegations against him but some of us are aware he is still sitting in an office at the Castle.”
The release said a gentleman also asked a question about events at the Tema Oil Refinery and the dismissal of Dr Ampofo. At this stage, a member of the NDC organizing team became aggressive and reportedly said “we are not here to answer these kinds of questions.” In the process, the microphone was snatched from him and it fell to the floor.
The release said the Vice President said at the forum that the STX Housing move was a good deal and that the opposition NPP always saw everything negative in what government was trying to do.
But in a sharp rebuttal, John Jinapor, an aide to the Vice President who was on the trip confirmed to the Daily Guide in a telephone interview that his boss indeed lodged at the Landmark Hotel in London. He however said “I am not aware if the NDC whilst in opposition condemned Ex-President Kufuor for lodging at the same hotel.”
He said the whole arrangement was done by the High Commission in London and the Vice President lodged at that facility based on security advice.
He also said the Vice President’s trip was not a flop because he was able to secure a deal that would bring a specialist hospital facility at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital to serve the sub-region.
“I am not surprised the NPP is criticizing the Vice President’s trip. I do not expect them to praise us but I was on the trip and I am confident it was successful.”
The Vice President left Accra for London on July 5 and returned on July 11. The forum organized by the Ghana Mission in London, in collaboration with the Developing Markets Associates (DMA) and Africa Matters Ltd., is under the theme “Enhancing Economic Growth through Competitiveness, Diversification and Infrastructure Development.”
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