Your claims are 'baseless' - Kwamena Duncan replies Catholic Bishops' Conference

Former Central Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan, has responded to the remarks by the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference in which the Bishops bitterly complain about the administration of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference, Most Rev. Philip Naameh, speaking at this year’s plenary assembly of the Association in Wa on Monday, November 8, accused government of not protecting the public purse.

“Though poverty stares us in the face, it appears lost to those with power. The expressed commitment of the President of the Republic to protect the public purse, a promise that citizens welcomed, seems to be an illusion now," he said.

He questioned; "Are those managing the public purse not concerned about waste and misapplication of resources that belong to all Ghanaians? Can this be referred to as irresponsible use of power or the lack of compassion and empathy?"

The Most Rev. Philip Naameh further cautioned politicians against taking the will of the electorate for granted, saying “those who are entrusted with power that comes from our collective will must know that what they do with that (power) shapes what we all will become in the future”.

The Catholic Bishops also bemoaned the economic situation confronting the populace, highlighting challenges in various sectors of the economy with emphasis on education, cyber crime, health, prostitution among others and admonished the government to find a lasting solution to the challenges.

Kwamena Duncan, in reply, finds the Bishops' statements to be baseless as he argued on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' Wednesday morning that the Bishops failed to state the basis for the claims.

Describing the claims as 'omnibus', the former Minister sent a word of caution to the Bishops saying, "if care is not taken, we will get to the point where every politician is quote unquote corrupt. What that means is that then we will be undermining the very governance system and [the consequences] I'm saying that this country cannot be the consequences''.

"This is an omnibus allegation against politicians, and what that means is that you may imperceptibly be causing a certain lack of confidence in politics, in governance and the consequences will not also be good for our country, for democracy and even the church," he stressed.

He, however, noted that he isn't in support of politicians engaging in corrupt practices or any wrong thing but he also wouldn't accept that the Bishops make false accusations.

"Me, I will be part of those who will condemn a politician who does wrong. I will be part. If me, myself, I'm involved in any wrongdoing; look, I submit myself to condemnation. But if I also have no basis, it is unacceptable that I do politics or in my capacity as a politician, Minister, Deputy Minister, President that it's easy that as for politicians, you can accuse them left, right, center and go scot free; then a paramount Pastor, I join the bandwagon. That is not fair. That is not proper.''