…Over Allegations Of ‘Contract Killings’

The flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Professor John Evans Atta Mills, has come under intense fire for his comments regarding the recent murder of the Deputy Managing Director of Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB), Mr. Rokko Frimpong.

The thrice defeated presidential hopeful in a statement to the media clamed that Ghana was no longer the safe country and investment destination that it used to be.

Angered by these comments, the Brong Ahafo Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and newly nominated Minister of State at the Interior Ministry, Nana Obiri Boahen, has rubbished the Professor’s claims, describing them as irresponsible.

According to Nana Boahen, Professor Mills’ assertions were rather contradictory, with regards to the liberty and freedom with which he moves from house to house campaigning.

Touching on the former Vice President’s claims that the recent killings had accentuated perceptions that people were engaging the services of ‘contract killers’, the yet-to-be-vetted minister of state said that there was no evidence to substantiate the claims.

“Contract killings depends on the individual’s understanding; it is odd for anybody to say so, at a time when nobody has been arrested or tried in connection with these killings”, he said.

He went on to accuse the Professor of trying to score cheap political points for himself, adding that “the most important thing is that we need to look at making the country peaceful and stop politicizing every thing”.

The issue at stake, he said, was not an NPP or NDC one, but rather a national issue which must be given all the necessary attention.

According to him, Ghana can never be described as an unsafe country. “How can he campaign in the country if the place is not safe. He has the comfort of cris-crossing, gallivanting and moving from house to house”.

Mr. Kwamena Bartels, the Minister nominated for the Interior Ministry, rather declined to comment on the NDC flagbearer’s assertions about ‘contract killings’, explaining that it was too early for him to talk about such a sensitive issue.

Instead, the Minister reminded Professor Mills of the serial killing of women under the NDC, to dismiss claim that the country was no longer a safe place to live.

“There is still murder, there is still armed robbery, but it has gone down and the statistics are there for everybody to see”, he admitted.

Mr. Bartels, who said he disagreed with the learned Professor, stated that Ghana is safer under the NPP than the NDC.

“People move around and do business freely. During their time it was difficult to show up for business, but now people are establishing industries because they have confidence in the future”, he stated.