General News of Wednesday, 3 August 2016

Source: peacefmonline.com

Mahama masterminded Montie 3 petition - Kwamena Duncan

Kwamena DuncanKwamena Duncan

Kwamena Duncan has accused President John Dramani Mahama of masterminding the petition by a section of his executive to free the Montie FM trio.

According to Kwamena Duncan, President Mahama can't absolve himself because the swiftness of the Ministers in signing the petition book gives him "an understanding that it is the President that’s behind them.

"It’s the President who’s the mastermind because eventually that is the decision he is likely to take.”

Speaking on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo', Kwamena Duncan wondered why the Ministers would sign a petition book if the President has no hand in their actions.

“Maybe President Mahama is the force behind them, otherwise it’s strange. If I were a Minister, I will not put President in the quagmire as they seek to do. If the President speaks with them, well and good, it means their wish has been answered. What if he doesn’t speak with them, what happens to them? What then happens to them? Their status as Ministers, what if the President doesn’t do it . . . If he doesn’t take that decision, what then becomes of these Ministers?" he asked.

He further questioned the logic of the Ministers who have already signed the petition book for President Mahama to exercise his discretionary power under Article 72 "in consultation with the Council of State".

Kwamena Duncan descended heavily on the Education Minister, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang and the Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister, Oye Lithur.

To him, he expected these female Ministers not to join the bandwagon because the comments by the Montie FM convicts were very degrading to the persona of female Judges in the country.

He anticipated that they would rather defend the Judges and condemn the disparaging remarks in no uncertain terms.

"That these individuals go on air and spew this quote unquote ‘garbage’. And the Minister goes to sign a petition that the President should invoke his powers under Article 72 and free them . . . We will have a very loaded history to write after President Mahama,” he said.