Accra, Feb. 4, GNA - Ms. Sherry Aryittey, Minister-designate for Environment, Science and Technology, on Wednesday gave notice that she would take legal action against the new pressure group, Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG), which made a series of allegations against her to disqualify her from being confirmed by Parliament.

A statement signed by Mr. David Annan of Asere Chambers, Counsel for Ms Aryittey, said the statements they made against her were calculated to injure her reputation, among others. AFAG, which made allegations against three other Ministers-designate, claimed that Ms. Aryittey had allegations of financial impropriety hanging around her neck in the divestiture of the Nsawam Cannery to Caridem and therefore could not be qualified to occupy the high office of a minister of state.

"The Honourable Minister-Designate, for the record, and as at all times prior to this, wholly denies the statements and repudiates the basis for the allegations and the allegations against her made by the Alliance for Accountable Governance," the statement said. "Therefore take notice and notice is hereby given that legal action will be taken against the Alliance for Accountable Governance and the individual members for statements calculated to injure the reputation of Madam Sherry Aryittey and exposing her to hatred, contempt or ridicule thereby tending to lower Madam Aryittey in the estimation of right thinking members of society."

Counsel said the reason behind AFAG's petition to Parliament was to seek her rejection on the basis of the allegations, as in the Caridem case, which were abandoned by the former Attorney-General who originated them. "Therefore they seek to validate the abandoned Caridem case of the former Attorney-General and expect the Appointments Committee to constitute itself into a court and pronounce on and uphold the case which currently does not exist.." Counsel said Ms Aryittey was confident that Parliament would decline "this invitation" to become an adjunct of the AG's Department of AFAG "when even these bodies have not been able to advance their claims and charges in any court of law, let alone exhibit averse ruling or judgement to the Honourable Committee of Parliament". AFAG also made allegations against Mr Haruna Iddrisu,

Minister-designate of Communications; Ms. Hannah Tetteh, Trade and Industry and Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni for the Interior. Mr. Godfred Dame, Spokesman for AFAG, told a news conference in Accra on Tuesday that, the various allegations made against the four bordered on criminality, illegal conduct and dishonesty.