'It doesn't make sense, find a better job to do' - Nana Akomea 'fires' NDC over Commonwealth petition

STC Chief Executive Officer, Nana Akomea has fired salvoes at the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for petitioning the Commonwealth of Nations to investigate what it says is human rights violations against its members by the incumbent government.

The party has asked the Commonwealth Nations to monitor the human rights situation in Ghana as well as what they believe is the criminal persecution of its members.

The General Secretary of the NDC, Mr Johnson Aseidu Nketia at a press conference in Accra Monday (February 28, 2022) announced the petition saying it was necessitated by the "harassment, criminal persecution and human rights violations" against some leading members of the NDC including its National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo.

"There are some practices that are not in accordance with good governance and the principles of the Commonwealth so we have petitioned them to take the appropriate action," he said.

Nana Akomea's Response

Nana Akomea, discussing the issue on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo', labeled the NDC petition as insensible saying the government has done nothing wrong.

He explained that the prosecution of the abovementioned names is in accordance with the country's laws, hence wondering how sending someone to court amounts to human rights infractions.

''What NDC is doing won't make Ghana take them serious," he stated.

He also referred the NDC General Secretary and the party to similar prosecutions they made while in power saying, "you, Asiedu Nketia and your party, when you were in government, you took people to court, the same court. So the court cannot be a good court when you were in power and suddenly the courts are bad when you are out of government. It doesn't make sense".

He added; "When you were in government, you took people to court . . . You took former Foreign Ministers to court, nobody said anything about the court. We went through the process. So, if you are out of power and the same court, you're now saying the court is not good meaning you don't have any better job doing. Find a better job and do."

"Beyond the court system, what else do you have?", he asked.

Background

In reference to examples of alleged persecutions and harassment, the NDC General Secretary cited some cases that are currently being prosecuted in court as the basis for the petition.

In the case of the Republic v Stephen Kwabena Opuni and two others, which is cited in the petition, Mr Nketia said the Judge hearing the case, Mr Justice Clemence Honyenuga had made some pronouncements on the case which "in any fair legal system would warrant his recusal from the case on the ground of real likelihood or appearance of bias."

He also cited the case involving the Republic vrs Samuel Ofosu Ampofo and Anthony Kwaku Boahen and the Republic Vrs Cassiel Ato Forson among others as examples of the criminal persecution of NDC members by the President Akufo-Addo's government.

"The conduct of the government of Ghana in this matter has been dreadful leaving no doubt the government is bent on a conviction regardless of the quality of the evidence," Mr Nketia said.

In relation to the case involving Dr Ato Forson, the party said it believes that the charges are politically motivated and engineered to weaken his opposition to the passage of the E-levy.

"This is a brazen abuse of power by the government," Mr Nketia said.