General News of Saturday, 5 November 2016

Source: todaygh.com

Woyome case: Sack AG - AFAG charges

Mrs. Marietta Brew Oppong-Appaih (L) ,  Mr. Alfred Woyome (R) Mrs. Marietta Brew Oppong-Appaih (L) , Mr. Alfred Woyome (R)

Pressure group, Alliance For Accountable Governance (AFAG), has noted that mass action is inevitable to demonstrate the anger of Ghanaians to the poor handling of Alfred Woyome’s GHC51m case by the Attorney General (AG), and therefore must be dismissed.

In a statement signed by the national executives of the group, and issued to the media yesterday, it said it is inescapable that the AG benefitted from the loot hence cannot prosecute Mr. Alfred Woyome.

Describing the Minister of Justice who is also the head of the Office of AG, Mrs. Marietta Brew Oppong-Appaih, as the “poorest performing,” the statement demanded her immediate resignation.

Responding to the action by the minister not to continue the oral submission application she filed last month on the Woyome’s saga, AFAG said it was not surprised about the political and legal gymnastics of the AG on the Woyome case.

It would be recalled that over a year ago, AFAG called for the resignation of the AG after Alfred Agbesi Woyome wrote a letter to her as a beneficiary of USD1 million of the fraudulent payment to him.

The AG, according to AFAG, has since mellowed although as a face saving measure, she occasionally pretends ready to battle Woyome in court.

“Fellow Ghanaians it is clear that our GHC51 million has gone down the drain although government is yet to replace dilapidated schools and those under trees with a national estimated budget of GHC51 million.

“The situation where an individual serving a particular party interest could hijack state resources through a well-organised fraudulent approach supported by the Attorney General’s office is nothing less than a betrayal of the people’s trust,” the group stressed.

AFAG in the statement recalled recently former President Jerry John Rawlings’ worry over the fight against corruption in the country.

“However the high levels of poverty and the current precarious economic situation is all as a result of politics of patronage and massive corruption. Right thinking people must wise up and speak out than for persons to start growing discontent among Ghanaians about our current democratic dispensation,” the statement said.

AFAG also in the statement accused the AG of conflict of interest but said, nothing was done about her.

AFAG was of the opinion that the commitment of government to fight the Woyome case speaks for itself.

“An AG who attempted to retrieve it was sacked and replaced by an AG who benefitted $1 million from the fraudulent disbursement. Obviously if she had succeeded in taking Woyome to the Supreme Court her name would have been dropped couple with a threat from Woyome the last time that, if he is pushed he will spill the beans”, it stated.

AFAG was also worried about the inability of the AG to prosecute government and public officials who were involved in this fraud.