General News of Wednesday, 5 November 2008

Source: Isaac Essel

Drug allegations: Asabee chases Bagbin to court

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, has threatened to take legal action against the Minority Leader in Parliament, Alban Bagbin, for tagging government officials as drug traffickers.

Mr. Bagbin alleged that the government and leading members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are directly involved in drug trafficking. He made the scurrilous allegations at a constituency rally in Ho, Volta Region over the weekend.

"I am personally going to take Alban Bagbin on. If because of an election they can make wild allegations, they will pay for it in the court," Mr. Asamoah Boateng told Joy News on Tuesday.

Asamoah Boateng, who is also the NPP Member of Parliament for Mfanstiman West, who was boiling to take on his colleague legislator at the law court noted: "They (NDC) know they are getting defeated and they are throwing the kitchen-sink."

The Minister was "surprised" that not any other person did label the government and the NPP as drug dealers than a man he once respected.

"I thought Alban Bagbin was a decent man," he said with dismay.

Meanwhile, Alban Bagbin who is also the MP for Nadowli West insists he has the evidence to nail down the government if any official dares to dispute him.

"We have documentary evidence to prove that some members of government are involved in this business; and we can get witnesses to come and testify.

"And I just want any of them, as I said, I have challenged them to come out to deny and let's put the machinery in place."

The Minority Leader claimed at the rally that drug has become "too much" in the system, thus creating insecurity and tarnishing the image of the country.

"We are not going to tolerate this anymore; we are going to root all of them out," he promised.