...President is afraid of Ms Yazji's evidence
Accra, Aug 11, GNA - Professor John Evans Atta Mills, Former Vice President on Thursday commended President John Agyekum Kufuor for acknowledging, for once publicly, that his government had inherited something positive from the previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration.

Professor Mills told a press conference he held in Accra on some national issues that, " I take cognisance of President Kufuor's press conference held last Tuesday, which I followed with keen interest." He said: "It was heart warming that for the first time ever, the President acknowledged publicly, albeit indirectly, that his Government inherited something positive from the previous government.

"This was in reference to the 15 million dollars Kuwaiti financing facility, which the NDC government secured for the national electrification programme."

Prof Mills, who was the NDC Presidential Candidate in the 2004 Election, said it was his "sincerest hope that the President's acknowledgement, even if reluctantly given, marks a change in his style of governance and a desire henceforth to give credit where it is due" He said he was hopeful: "President Kufuor continues along this path of recognising the achievements of his predecessors because it will help break the vicious cycle of fault finding, vendetta and recrimination, which is holding back the clock of national progress."

Prof Mills said the Presidency was something very important that all Ghanaians must try to protect, defend and cherish, no matter who was the President of the nation.

He said "it is only the disloyal and unpatriotic Ghanaian, who will say that he or she is not concerned at the way the Presidency of our country is being exposed to all manner of rumours and innuendoes and the personality of the President vilified" in connection with the purchase of a hotel by the son of President Kufuor.

Prof Mills said: "I cannot look on unconcerned as this degenerating and derogative process continues.

"The truth is that there is a perception that the President is afraid of Ms Yazji's evidence and is, therefore, doing all he can to prevent her from coming down to Ghana, which perception is now very pervasive."

He said developments stretching for the reaction of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), the handling of the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the Speaker of Parliament's refusal to allow the Minority NDC to make a statement on the issue, "the general impression is one of unwillingness, nay even a fear, to have the hotel transaction investigated, or to manipulate the investigative process, or to cover up the truth".

"It must be borne in mind that at all times in these matters, it is often not the original act or omission that creates the problem but the subsequent efforts to explain it away or to cover it up."

Prof Mills, however said: "It is reassuring that President Kufuor at his press conference offered to co-operate with CHRAJ to unravel the truth about the Hotel acquisition. It seems the President is more comfortable with CHRAJ investigating the matter. It is important that we allow the most thorough of investigations to put the matter of the hotel behind us so as to allow the government and the country to get on the business of governance and development."