Asiedu Nketia's "Kwasia Bi Nti" STL Logic Is An "Insult" To Interior Minister - Kweku Baako

Prosper Bani (R - then Chief of Staff), is seen here conferring with President Mahama

Asiedu Nketia's remarks that a statement by the Minister of the Interior, Prosper Bani, stating that Superlock Technologies Limited (STL) helped in transmitting election results was influenced by constant peddling of falsehood by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), has been described as a "kwasia Bi Nti" logic and an "insult" to the character of the Minister. Kweku Baako expressed deep sorrow over the approach by some functionaries within the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) about the claim by the Interior Minister that STL "is the company contracted by the Electoral Commission to transmit tallied election results." The role played by STL in the 2012 elections has courted controversy following a statement issued by the Interior Minister. Prosper Bani, in an attempt to clarify issues regarding the arrest of three South Africans and the Head of Nana Addo's private security Captain Edmund Koda, said in his statement that one of the arrested South African's had "a comprehensive report on the operations of Superlock Technologies Limited (STL)." He further noted that "STL is the company contracted by the Electoral Commission to transmit tallied election results." The New Patriotic Party (NPP) then issued a counter statement requesting the Electoral Commission to come clear on the Minister's claim. Making his submissions on Kokrokoo relating to the comments by the General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Senior Journalist told Kwami Sefa Kayi on Wednesday Edition of Peace FM's Kokrokoo said "it deeply saddens me and I mean it. I’m being sincere that he has been drawn or dragged into this particular saga. But of course, it was propaganda that drove him there.” Asiedu Nketia blamed the NPP for the Interior Minister's statement on STL, saying the Minister's position was influenced by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) propaganda that STL helped in transmitting election results. He said in an interview on Top FM's Morning show on Tuesday that "the Ministry of Interior's statement on STL is the outcome of well-orchestrated lies by the NPP". But to Kweku Baako, the NDC Chief Scribe has literally insulted the Minister. Wondering how the Minister could be affected by the NPP propaganda, Mr. Baako held strongly in view of Asiedu Nketia's comments; Hon. Prosper Bani doesn't deserve to remain in office as the Interior Minister. “It’s amazing. It’s an insult. It’s an insult even to the Minister. It brings the Minister even down. That a whole Minister of Interior who was a former Chief of Staff to issue an important statement of this nature, he was only influenced by NPP propaganda? That Minister then doesn’t deserve to be in office…They are insulting the Minister. They’re degrading the Minister. In an attempt to rescue what is not rescueable, they are destroying the Minister.” To him, the Interior Minister made a mistake by issuing such statement without any factual evidence. He believed this is the reason for his (Prosper Bani) silence to respond to the issues after releasing the statement. He advised the Minister to apologize and boldly admit his error. “He should be honest enough, courageous enough to admit his error. The EC too should be direct [open]...The Minister could have mitigated this matter long ago with an admission of the error and an apology if indeed he did in genuine judgment of the issue…The Minister was a victim of propaganda overkill.”

NDC Deserts Interior Minister? Addressing the issue on same platform, the NDC Parliamentary candidate for Bongo and Spokesperson for the Energy Ministry, Edward Bawa conceded that the Minister's statement was misleading. He said the "statement in itself, on the face of it, could be very misleading. And I’ll agree…could be very misleading; particularly knowing what we do in elections.” When asked by host Kwami Sefa Kayi whether he agreed that the Interior Minister was wrong to have issued the statement, Mr. Bawa who shied away from giving a direct answer indicated that he "will rather place premium on what the EC said…I’m saying I place premium on what Afari Gyan said.” Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan in quoted to have issued a statement on December 8, 2012 saying "The Commission’s attention has been drawn to allegations that it has engaged the services of a company to do electronic transmission and collation of results on its behalf. “We wish to state emphatically that no such engagement has been made, neither is the Commission doing electronic transmission of results.” Also on the "Kokrokoo" show was the Greater Accra Regional NDC Chairman, Joseph Ade Coker, who quizzed "is the Minister the Electoral Commissioner?". Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi /Peacefmonline.com/Ghana