General News of Wednesday, 31 August 2016

Source: rainbowradioonline.com

Prof. Martey 'got carried away'- George Lawson

George Lawson, Deputy General Secretary of the NDC play videoGeorge Lawson, Deputy General Secretary of the NDC

A Deputy General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), George Lawson has lambasted the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), Prof. Emmanuel Martey for accusing its members of verbally assaulting him on phone.

The blunt man of God in a press conference Tuesday accused members of the NDC of verbally assaulting him for speaking against them.

He further alleged that some politicians have made attempts to bribe him to stop speaking against them and their bad policies.

“Politicians had tried all means to muzzle me, to get me but they can’t, they come with bribes, fat envelopes, $100,000.”

He added that some of these politicians also come with “the promises that if you keep quiet we will give you a house at Trasacco with swimming pool… We will give you Four Wheel drive [vehicle] but you know what; these people were lucky that I do not have big dogs in my house else I would have released the dogs for them to bite them.''

But responding to the allegations raised by the Moderator of the Presby Church, George Lawson described the claims by the man of God as unfortunate, hollow and unsubstantiated.

He questioned how a man of God of his caliber would speak in that manner. He also asked if the calls he received where from the NDC since caller ID's of callers do not have any prove of identity of members of the party.

He said even if one person have called him to insult him and that person is a member of the NDC, it does not represent the entire party.

He said if the NDC wants to do anything, they respond through press statements hence the party cannot be held liable if a member insulted him through a phone call. The NDC he said believes in the freedom of speech and do not believe in gaging people.

''It is his democratic right to express his opinion, if they disagree with us its a different thing. We cannot stop him. How can we stop someone from talking? How can we as a democrat who believes in the rule of law and freedom of expression silence anybody?''

He said Prof. Martey can express himself and disagree with government any day anywhere and the party will not attack him for that since it is his democratic right. However, he should not make unfortunate statements and unsubstantiated claims against the NDC.

''I don't know why he is always attacking the NDC. If a member of the Presbyterian Church does something wrong, does it mean the entire church is at fault? It cannot be the entire Presbyterian Church...I don't know if some of the men of God are carried away by certain things when talking?''

On the issue of the money allegation and the Trasacco residential apartment the Moderator alleged was promised him, George said although the man of God did not mention the NDC, he thinks the allegation is laughable and should not be given audience.

George Lawson was speaking in an interview with Kwabena Agyapong, host of Eboboba on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM.