President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has stated that he is busy fixing the mess and rot bequeathed to him by the Mahama government and does not have the time to orchestrate attacks on the former President.

The President’s response comes after former President John Mahama on Thursday accused Mr. Akufo-Addo of orchestrating attacks against him.

The former President made the accusation while distancing himself from media reports that he is plotting with the AfricaWatch magazine to run down the government’s flagship policy- Free SHS.

The Daily Guide and Statesman newspapers have claimed in their reports that Mr. Mahama is scheming with the international magazine to destroy the education policy.

A statement signed by Special Aide of Mr Mahama, Joyce Bawah Mogtari Thursday said the former President has no relationship with the AfricaWatch Magazine.

“The Office of H E John Dramani Mahama has taken note of a false publication by two Government sponsored tabloids, Daily Guide and Statesman that the former President of the Republic of Ghana has contracted a magazine, the AfricaWatch to publish what it says are damaging reports about the Free SHS policy.”

But in a scathing response, Mustapha Hamid Spokesperson for the President dismissed the allegations against Mr. Akufo-Addo describing them as baseless.

In the statement, Hamid who is also the Information Minister stated that the “Daily Guide and Daily Statesman are NOT “government sponsored” newspapers,” adding that “these newspapers have existed for many years, and the ownership of these papers is a matter of public record. Their general stance on political issues is also well known, predating the Akufo-Addo government.

The statement added “President Akufo-Addo is busy fixing the mess and rot that was bequeathed to him by the Mahama government, and, therefore, does not have the luxury of time to indulge in orchestrations of lies and propaganda.”

Below is the full statement

RE: STATEMENT IN REACTION TO MALICIOUS PUBLICATIONS AGAINST H.E. THE FORMER PRESIDENT

Government has taken note of a press statement signed by Joyce Bawah Mogtari, Special Aide to former President John Mahama, and dated January 25, 2018. The statement purports to react to “malicious publications against H.E. the former President”.

Rather, the statement makes a number of baseless allegations against the government and person of the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. Government responds as follows:

That, Daily Guide and Daily Statesman are NOT “government sponsored” newspapers. These newspapers have existed for many years, and the ownership of these papers is a matter of public record. Their general stance on political issues is also well known, predating the Akufo-Addo government. That, to proceed on that false premise to attack the President is disingenuous. To specifically allege that President Akufo-Addo is “orchestrating attacks” on the person of the former President “based on lies and pedestrian propaganda” without proof or evidence is unbefitting of a spokesperson of a former President. President Akufo-Addo is busy fixing the mess and rot that was bequeathed to him by the Mahama government, and, therefore, does not have the luxury of time to indulge in orchestrations of lies and propaganda That it is curious for the spokesperson of the former President to be issuing a statement denying that he is attacking the Free SHS programme, whilst that very same statement seeks to disparage the programme. It is interesting that it is the spokesperson of former President Mahama who is urging Ghanaians to demand from the Akufo-Addo government “an improvement from the poor-governance it is serving this country.” We wish, in answer, to recall the words of the Vice President of the Republic, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, in his address at the New Year School, at Legon, when he stated:

“The question that we should ask is how can you inherit a budget deficit of 9.3% of GDP, proceed to reduce taxes, bring down inflation, bring down interest rates, increase economic growth (from 3.6% to 7.9%), increase your international reserves, maintain relative exchange rate stability, reduce the debt to GDP ratio and the rate of debt accumulation, pay almost half of arrears inherited, stay current on obligations to statutory funds, restore teacher and nursing training allowances, double the capitation grant, implement free senior high school education and yet still be able to reduce the fiscal deficit from 9.3% to an estimated 5.6% of GDP? Quite simple, this is a remarkable achievement and this is what we mean by competent economic management.”

We wish to reiterate that President Akufo-Addo holds all former Presidents of the Republic in high regard, and will continue to treat all of them with dignity and respect, as he has consistently demonstrated since assuming the high office of President of the Republic.

……signed……

Mustapha Abdul-Hamid

Minister for Information