Friday, February 7, 2014

Dep Info Minister Incurs Wrath Of NDP…Accused Of Visa Fraud

With the country's leaders implored to be decorous in their discussions and conduct, many people would expect that Ghana's body politics will also be devoid of any acrimony or revenge.

But this appears not to be so on the air waves as outspoken Deputy Communications Director of the National Democratic Party (NDP) has decided to go head to head with a Deputy Minister for Information and Media Relations, Murtala Mohammed.

The NDP Communicator, Ernest Owusu Bempah is disgruntled with recent statements made by Hon. Murtala Mohammed regarding the party's 2012 Presidential candidate, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings.

Hon. Murtala Mohammed, speaking in relation to some remarks which were made by Nana Konadu pertaining to Ghana's economic situation labeled her as a "confused" analyst and wondered where she obtained her facts from.

The former First Lady, at a public forum, reportedly sought to find out the rationale for an increment in the Valued Added Tax (VAT) from 15% to 17% by government. She asked why the government has increased other taxes and was continuing with expanding the tax net.

She argued that economies around the globe hardly run on taxes because taxes have the potential to kill the private sector and further affect investments, particularly for developing countries for which Ghana is not an exception.

She therefore proposed that there should be reduction in the taxes imposed on goods and services in the country in order to attract private investments and also enhance the employment rate in the nation.

But responding to the analysis made by Nana Konadu, the Deputy Information Minister claimed on Adom News, a couple of days ago, that Nana Konadu displayed her ignorance and is confused about the tax system.

I don’t know whether she was talking economics, architecture, psychology or physiology. I really couldn’t get her. I didn’t understand, and I believe your listeners themselves were confused if they listened to her that we use the taxes to balance the economy,” Murtala asserted.

The comments seem to have riled the NDP Deputy Communicator, who in a sharp riposte on Oman FM’s “National Agenda” programme, berated Hon. Murtala as an incompetent government official.

He accused Murtala Mohammed of having a very serious "criminal” past, claiming he (Murtala) was once "arrested in Nigeria for Visa fraud" and dared him to prove his innocence.

“…it took the intervention of one of the Nigerian’s leaders to bail Hon. Murtala out,” he added.

He rejected appeals to retract his allegation and held strongly that his claims are backed by substantial evidence.

“He was a criminal. He was arrested. He was perpetrating Visa Fraud in Nigeria. The ambassador there then bailed him out,” he stridently claimed.

A charged Owusu Bempah further warned the Deputy Information Minister not to dare attack the integrity of Mrs. Rawlings so as not to risk any exposure of the skeletons in his closet.



 
 
 
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
 

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