STATEMENT: Gov't Won't Be The Minority's 'Orchestra' Whiles They Remain 'Conductor'

The ruling NDC government has reacted strongly to some accusations leveled against it by the Minority in Parliament stating emphatically that the Mills administration and the Security Agencies will not allow itself to be turned into an 'orchestra' with the Minority Leader as the 'conductor'. A statement issued today and signed by a Deputy Information Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said, to government "this Woyome Saga is an issue of whether wrongdoing has been perpetrated or not and how justice can be done" and indicted the NPP Minority for reducing a very serious matter to mere petty partisan politics pointing out that government has no intention of joining them (NPP) in that "self-serving naked opportunistic path". "This mind set of the NPP Minority in Parliament to reduce such a serious issue into mere political games must be roundly condemned. Government will on the contrary continue to pursue a nationalistic agenda aimed at true justice and not cheap partisanship," the statement said. Read below the full unedited statement Government has taken notice of charges leveled against us by the Minority in Parliament. Firstly we have been accused of pursuing an agenda of political equalization in the on-going investigations into the Woyome Saga. Government wishes to state for the records that unlike the NPP Minority in Parliament, we do not view the Woyome Saga as another petty partisan political issue for which we should contemplate equalization. Indeed, to government, this Woyome Saga is an issue of whether wrongdoing has been perpetrated or not and how justice can be done. For the NPP Minority to reduce this very serious matter to mere petty partisan politics for which it continues to spend all of their time in Parliament, at rallies and in music studios composing and rehearsing songs and therefore assumes that government will join them in that self-serving naked opportunistic path must certainly be mistaken. This mind set of the NPP Minority in Parliament to reduce such a serious issue into mere political games must be roundly condemned. Government will on the contrary continue to pursue a nationalistic agenda aimed at true justice and not cheap partisanship. The second charge against government that by the singular arrest of Mr. Osei Bonsu Amoah, �Parliament�s image is under attack,� it is �contemptuous of Parliament� and �an affront to the authority of the Speaker. � It is exceedingly interesting and ironic that the NPP Minority in Parliament does not consider their own misconduct in the unthinkable defiled introduction of red cards and whistles in an outlandish attempt to heckle the President of the Republic of Ghana during last week�s State of the Nation Address at a time the full attention of the nation, local and international media and the diplomatic corpse was fixated on our Parliament, has caused substantial damage to the image of Parliament and affronted the authority of the Speaker of Parliament even as she helplessly called for order. Government does not consider itself in breach of Article 117 of the 1992 Constitution as we are yet to be convinced of what type of Parliamentary business was still in session after 8pm on a Sunday. As is known, this government upholds higher standards than the NPP did when they were in power as our memory is fresh with what was done to Mr. E. T. Mensah and Mr. Dan Abodakpi a few years ago when Parliament was in session. We will continue to uphold the Constitution of Ghana and in strict compliance of Article 1 (2). To this end, government would continue to accord all arms of government the respect they deserve and will at no time attempt to usurp the mandate of any of the three arms. It is also for this reason that we hope that all of us will respect the exclusive original jurisdiction to interpret any aspect of the 1992 Constitution as stipulated in Article 130 (1) (a). The last charge against government has to do with what the Minority calls selectivity as some of those they expect to be invited or arrested have not yet been contacted. To this charge, government will like to remind the good people of Ghana of President Mills assurance that in dealing with alleged corruption; �it wouldn�t matter whose ox is gored. � It is also imperative to point out to the Minority Leader that the Government and the Security Agencies would not be his orchestra and he will not be the conductor. The Government and State institutions must be allowed to work in the best interest of Ghana and not to the whim and caprice of any individual not even those who have announced that this matter offers them a political bonanza. Finally government wishes to assure all Ghanaians that President Mills will continue to act in the ultimate national interest as it has so far done in this Woyome saga. We know all objective Ghanaians acknowledge the new frontiers of transparency and the unprecedented commitment of the President to avoid a cover-up even against protests from otherwise considered allies of the NDC and we know that posterity will look proudly at President Mills. Hon. Samuel OKUDZETO ABLAKWA DEPUTY MINISTER FOR INFORMATION ACCRA