The United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland chapter of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has refuted reports that one of its leading members and MP, Cassiel Ato Forson, was exposed in London.

Reports in the news recently alleged that the Former Deputy Finance Minister under the erstwhile John Mahama government, had been exposed by NPP UK for privately praising the Akufo Addo led administration and some of its policies.

The reports said David Prah, the Eastern Regional Communication Director of New Patriotic Party (NPP), who was speaking in a radio political debate on GM online radio UK on Saturday 14th March, dubbed “The Debate “alleged that Mr. Ato Forson had on a number of occasions opened up to him on how good the current government was managing the affairs of the country.

David Prah also said Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, another leading member of the umbrella family had also on countless occasions praised the Akufo Addo government.

But leadership of the NDC in UK and Ireland have completely shot down the allegations, describing them as “vile and malicious”,” false and disreputable” and urging the public to treat the information with the contempt it deserves.

In a statement signed by the Communications Officer, Simon Aworigo and copied to reporter Senyalah Castro, the chapter said “It became obvious that Mr. Prah was a congenital liar and a propagandist who was out to impugn the character of leading members of the National Democratic Congress in a foreign country where they may not have the opportunity to defend themselves”.

It explained that “When Honourable Ato Forson was contacted on telephone by the host of the show, Mansa Musah to corroborate the statements made by Mr. David Prah, Ato Forson stated categorically that he had never met Mr. David Prah, he did not know what he looked like and will take the matter up in court”.

“Mr. Prah became abusive to Cassiel Ato Forson on air and called him names in his desperation to salvage his image. On realizing he had failed with his lies against Honourable Ato Forson, he moved on to Honourable Okudzeto Ablakwa and stated again that Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa had also privately praised the Akufo Addo government to him. This time, he failed to mention where and when Okudzeto Ablakwa praised the Akufo Addo government”.

The chapter urged the NPP UK to desist from politics of lies, propaganda and character assassination and stick to issues based politics.

See below for the full statement.

Claim that Cassiel Ato Forson exposed in London mischievous

The Communication team of the NDC UK and Ireland Chapter has taken notice of a vile and malicious publication on Ghanaweb titled “Cassiel Ato Forson exposed in London”. The publication is dated Sunday, 15th March 2020.

In the said publication, one David Prah, the New Patriotic Party’s Eastern Regional Communication Director and former Public Relations Officer of the National Service Secretariat on Saturday 14th March, 2020 in a radio political debate on GM online radio Uk , dubbed “The debate” made false and disreputable statements on air against Honourable Cassiel Ato Forson, Honourable Okudzeto Ablakwa and other leading members of the National Democratic Congress.

Mr. Prah alleged that Hon. Cassiel Ato Forson praises the Akufo Addo government in private. He stated that one of such occasion was when he met Ato Forson at Acqua Safari some time ago.

Subsequent to the GM radio UK program where Mr. David Prah represented the NPP and made the unsubstantiated allegations, the Communications Directorate of the NPP UK branch has caused a publication to be made on Ghanaweb dated 13th March, 2020 in which they repeated the same untruths that were said on radio by Mr. David Prah.

When Honourable Ato Forson was contacted on telephone by the host of the show, Mansa Musah to corroborate the statements made by Mr. David Prah, Ato Forson stated categorically that he had never met Mr. David Prah, he did not know what he looked like and will take the matter up in court.

Mr. Prah became abusive to Cassiel Ato Forson on air and called him names in his desperation to salvage his image. On realizing he had failed with his lies against Honourable Ato Forson, he moved on to Honourable Okudzeto Ablakwa and stated again that Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa had also privately praised the Akufo Addo government to him. This time, he failed to mention where and when Okudzeto Ablakwa praised the Akufo Addo government.

Honourable Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on hearing his name mentioned on the program by Mr. David Prah phoned in. He said he did not know Mr. Prah, has never met him or spoken with him.

It became obvious that Mr. Prah was a congenital liar and a propagandist who was out to impugn the character of leading members of the National Democratic Congress in a foreign country where they may not have the opportunity to defend themselves.

Having failed on both occasions to smear the hard won reputation of the two NDC members of Parliament, he became frustrated and turned the gun on Sabato, the NDC representative on the radio political program. He accused Sabato of having embezzled money in the previous NDC government and hiding in London. At this point, it became very clear he had nothing to say and was behaving like a wounded lion looking to destroy anything in its path.

Listen to the attached audio of the radio political program: It clearly exposes the lies in the publication of the NPP UK Communication directorate and sets the records straight.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Communication team of the NDC UK and Ireland Chapter wishes to urge the public to treat the publication by the NPP UK Communication Directorate with the contempt it deserves. The publication is borne out of the desperation of a government and party that is confused and panicking as it is being exposed badly on all its deceptive policies. Unfortunately, the only ammunitions in the hands of the NPP and the Akufo Addo government are vile politics of character assassination and invectives.

The Communication team of the NDC UK and Ireland Chapter wishes to admonish the NPP UK branch to engage in serious issues based politics. We can understand it is difficult to engage in issues based communication for a government that is drowning in corruption, over borrowing, excavators disappearing, tricycles and motor bikes disappearing without police investigation, dams turn to dry land, a dodgy Kelni GVG contract that has never been made public to Ghanaians, daughters of Akufo Addo taking over duty free shops at terminal 3 and many more.

The spurious allegations made by Mr. Prah on GM radio UK has no place in the modern transformational and serious politics our country should be condemned in no uncertain terms

We in the NDC will continue to be respectful, debate on issues and expose the rot, deception and thievery under this government.

The Communications Directorate of the NPP UK should desist from such disingenuous publications as it only shows how desperate the party and government have become as we approach election 2020.

.........Signed.......

Simon Aworigo

Communication Officer

NDC UK and Ireland Chapter