Info Minister: Charges Against Asa B And Others Not Recycled Or Resurrected

The Information Minister, Hon John Akologo Tia, has confirmed media reports that Former Minister of Information in the erstwhile John Agyekum Kufour administration, Stephen Asamoah Boateng aka Asa B and four others are set to face a new list of criminal charges. These officials are being accused of using government or state resources to set up amorphous groups. Tuesday�s edition of the �The Globe� newspaper indicates that the charges against the former Minister are to be based on the findings contained in a special audit report titled, �Audit Report on the Financial Activities of the Ministry of Information for the Period 1 January 2007 � 31 December 2008.� The report, dated 15 September, 2010, was signed by �Moses Bedi, Director of Audit/CGAD� Four others; Former Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei; former Deputy Minister of Finance, Prof. Gyan Baffour; former Information Minister, Oboshie Sai-Coffie, and former Deputy Information Minister, Frank Agyekum are also on the list of former top officials to be invited for questioning in the coming days. Honourable Akologo Tia dismissed suggestions that the charges against the ex-government officials are the same old charges, only just recycled and resurrected. He also discounted claims that the issue has not come up again only because Asa B recently started criticizing government after a long silence. �The simple thing is that we were going through the process, an audit was made, the Ministry of Information was given a copy and we have audit implementation committee in the Ministry so they Committee studied the report and take a decision on what should be done." "The report reveals certain actions by the officials mentioned�the police will conduct special investigations into the report and take the necessary action. If the audit report says that some money was misapplied, it is criminal in nature and those involved must be made to refund the money. This is the first time that action is going to be taken on those allegations�we are now referring the matter to the police for further interrogation�,� John Tia added. He emphasized that the report which was carried out by the Auditor General revealed so many malpractices and misappropriation of state funds and for that matter there is the need to get to the bottom of the issue and for the necessary action to be taken.