General News of Wednesday, 18 May 2016

Source: Bright Dzakah | Onua FM

IEA plans to humiliate Mahama – Kofi Wayo

Kofi WayoKofi Wayo

The Founder and Leader of defunct United Renaissance Party (URP) Charles Kofi Wayo say he has gathered impeccable intelligence that the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) is planning to humiliate President John Dramani Mahama.

The plan which the founder of URP disclosed on Ghana Dadwen on Onua FM will be rolled out during the head to head Presidential debate recently announced by the IEA.

“I will not advice the President to attend that debate, I have very incredible information that IEA is skimming to disgrace him (the president) with that debate, Ghanaians can jump at anything and glorify it, what is the credibility of the founder of that organization” Chulk, as he is affectionately called, told Bright Kwesi Asempa.

The IEA has come under intense fire from some major political parties ahead of the November elections for what they describe as disrespectful and unfair arrangements adopted for this year’s presidential debate.

This was as a result of a decision arrived at by the IEA to hold a separate debate for presidential candidates of the two major political parties- NDC and NPP. But the bankroller and one-man commander of URP, Kofi Wayo, claims there is more to the IEA’s decision than meets the eye.

“The founder of that “Azaa” organization is a die in wool NPP and a “con man;” I know him very well and if Dr. Charles Mensa feels hurt by this, he can take me to court and I will show him all the dossiers I have about him,” Mr. Wayo challenged.

Dr. Charles Mensa is the founder and Chairman of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA). He is also the Board Chairman of SAB Miller Ghana Limited and Fan Milk International Limited. Dr. Mensa, until recently, also served as the CEO of Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO), the largest aluminium smelter in sub-Saharan Africa.

However, Kofi Wayo said Dr. Charles Mensah’s tenure at VALCO did not yield any dividend to the country but rather saw a steeper collapse of the once upon a time biggest Aluminum Smelter the country ever had.

Kofi Wayo alleged that he was present when Dr. Charles Mensah approached Ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor to be given VALCO with the promise of transforming it, but “we all know the sorry state of that factory now,” he posited.

"Therefore, if I tell you that man set up IEA to promote the agenda of the NPP you must know I have the facts. So Asempa, If this “guy” (referring to Dr. Charles Mensah ) can do this, what justification does he have to be involving in government business. "

“I will not at any given moment advice the president to show up at any debate organized by IEA; he will be disgraced before he knows it, it is a plan by the NPP to use that institution; you Ghanaians you don’t like the truth,” kofi Wayo said.

Meanwhile, attempts to reach the IEA for a response proved futile.