It was educative and informative as usual this weekend on The Key Points Show on TV3.
Alfred Ocansey and his panelists dissected the issues tabled for discussion.
The topics were; outcome of the Ejisu by-election, Cecilia Dapaah’s unending saga, President Akufo-Addo’s admission of loadshedding and the promise not to return to ‘Dumsor’ as well as the Majority Leader’s defense of the GRA-SML deal.
Here are 14 Key Points from the show on May 4, 2024.
- It is in the interest of Cecilia Dapaah that this case is investigated credibly – Sammy Gyamfi
Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has said that it would be in the interest of former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah that her alleged money laundering case be investigated credibly and transparently.
He said the government, seeking to shelve the matter, is rather worsening the case for the former Sanitation Minister.
The Office of the Attorney-General advised the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) not to initiate any investigation in respect of money laundering into the dealings of Cecilia Dapaah.
But Mr. Gyamfi reiterated the stance of the party’s flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama. Mr. Mahama said in a post on X on Thursday that his government will “reopen investigations into alleged acts of corruption and graft in the Cecelia Dapaah case.”
According to Sammy Gyamfi, “There is a grand conspiracy by the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia NPP government to cover up the truths and real facts of this Cecilia Dapaah case. This should be obvious to any objective bystander,” he said.
Furthermore, the NDC communicator maintained that President Akufo-Addo never showed interest in investigating one of his appointees for alleged corruption and money laundering “right from the get-go.”
“This government led by President himself has acted in ways that show they are not interested in an investigation at all and you see, if they think that they are helping Madam Cecilia Dapaah in doing so, then they’re mistaken,” said Mr. Gyamfi, indicating that “they are actually worsening the case for Cecilia Dapaah.””Because it is in the interest of Cecilia Dapaah that this matter is investigated in a credible and transparent way,” he noted.
2. Kwadaso MP’s indiscretion was amazing – Agyemang-Duah
Governance expert Professor Baffour Agyemang-Duah has asserted that the indiscretion of the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kwadaso to hand over an envelope to the Electoral Commission (EC) officials was amazing.
During the April 30 Ejisu by-election, the New Patriotic Party MP, Kingsley Nyarko, was caught on live television dishing out a white envelope to two EC officials at the Fumesua Pentecost Church Polling Station with Polling Station Code F311503.
He was seen in the viral video dipping his hands into his back pocket and bringing out the envelope. With gestures indicating that the content was for the two officials, he dropped the envelope on the table between himself and the EC officers.
Speaking to reporters after the incident, the NPP lawmaker noted, “I don’t feel bad because I know I’ve done nothing wrong. I know it’s politics people are going to spin. I am putting it on record that I’ve not done anything wrong,” he insisted.
But the former UN advisor on governance, Prof. Agyemang-Duah, wondered why the NPP MP would descend so low to engage in such illegality.
“It is not shocking to me unless you want to be hypocrites in this country. Vote-buying has been part and parcel of our electoral process, indulged by both political parties, even amongst their own primaries.
“Of course, Kingsley Nyarko, his indiscretion was amazing…somebody well educated, a big political party, and you go to a place you are not supposed to be to dish out whatever that you say he dished out, were you trying to influence them?” he told Alfred Ocansey.
The governance expert, however, maintained that the discussions should focus on finding solutions to vote-buying in Ghana’s political process.
“I find it very stressful that we are devoting precious time to discuss an issue that is quite prevalent in our political system. This is not new,” he said.
3. Allegation of wee sharing in Ejisu by-election: Let’s not depend on hearsay – Amoakwa-Boadu
A member of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) communication team and private legal practitioner, Kingsley Amoakwa-Boadu, has stated that the accusation of the NPP sharing marijuana (wee) to bribe voters in the just-ended Ejisu by-election is merely based on hearsay.
He said the onus is on the Police to investigate the allegations and bring out the individuals behind such illegal activity.
Footages circulating on the internet showed some residents alleging that officials of the NPP gave them the narcotic substances to vote for the party’s candidate, Kwabena Boateng.
However, the NPP communicator bemoaned the increasing level of monetisation in the country’s body politic.
He further noted that it is incumbent on the security bodies to investigate the allegations further to bring out the individuals behind such acts, stressing that vote-buying is against the electoral laws of the country.
According to him, any individual can easily display any amount of money on camera to say a politician gave it to him/her to vote in a certain direction.
“It is easy for anyone to come and stand in front of a camera and hold money and I was given this…it is incumbent on the police to get to these with the available evidence, and let them lead them to who gave them money for actions to be taken.
“I am in full support of that”, he emphasised, arguing, “Because it shouldn’t be that you go and find money before you can win an election when you can avail yourself and do good in society.”
Furthermore, responding to comments made by Martin Kpebu on the alleged sharing of money to influence voters in the by-election, Amoakwa-Boadu noted, “We are all concerned about monetisation of our electoral process…but when you’re making some allegations let them be founded on evidence, not hearsay.”
4. NPP does not care about the future of the youth – Sammy Gyamfi on allegation of buying votes with ‘wee’
The National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has criticised the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over the alleged distribution of narcotic substances (wee) to buy votes during the just-ended Ejisu by-election.
According to the NDC communicator, the alleged act demonstrates the NPP’s unconcerned attitude towards the plight of the youth.
Moreover, he described the action as the lowest point in Ghana’s electoral process and urged the Police to “take up this matter and investigate it.”
Sammy Gyamfi observed that the action by NPP is unacceptable, reprehensible and irresponsible and cannot be condoned.
Expressing disbelief at the development, Mr. Gyamfi stated, “What broke me down as a young man was the level of desperation I saw the NPP display at Ejisu.”
“Where they went to that shameful extent of distributing narcotic substances, illegal, illicit substances like marijuana, which can make people mad and cause people to suffer from chronic ailments,” he stressed, adding, “It is totally unacceptable, irresponsible and reprehensible.”
He added that it is “the lowest point in our country,” indicating that “they are destroying the future of this country. Till date, NPP has not issued a statement condemning this matter.
5. Should we also blame Mahama for jailed ex-MASLOC CEO Sedina Tamakloe’s conduct? – Amoakwa-Boadu asks Sammy Gyamfi
A member of the communications team of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who is also a private legal practitioner, Kinglsey Amoakwa-Boadu, has dismissed claims by the National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Sammy Gyamfi that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia are engaged in corruption.
Sammy Gyamfi, basing his comments on the issues of former Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation Cecilia Abena Dapaah, accused President Akufo-Addo and Dr Bawumia of corruption.
“There is no way we can come to the bottom of this matter under this government. Corruption has fought them and defeated them.
“These leaders themselves are inherently corrupt which is why they cover up,” Sammy Gyamfi said.
But commenting on the same show Kingsley Amoakwa-Boadu said it is not true that President Akufo-Addo cleared his officials.
“Should we also blame Mahama for the former CEO of MASLOC issue? he asked.
6. 2024 elections: We’re looking at someone who hasn’t been president before and one who has been – NPP’s Amoakwa-Boadu
A member of the communications team of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who is also a private legal practitioner, Kinglsey Amoakwa-Boadu, has stated that the 2024 election is between a person who has never been President before and another who has.
He explained that the flagbearer of the NPP, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is yet to become president whilst the flagbearer of the NDC, is former President John Dramani Mahama.
He says Dr Bawumia will have 8 years to develop Ghana if he wins the elections, but Mr Mahama will have only four years.
Out of the two, he said, Dr Bawumia is best placed to win the elections.
“We are looking at someone who has not been there before and his vision as against someone who has been before and has for four years.
“The contest is about the future,” he said while responding to a comment by the National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Sammy Gyamfi who has accused Dr Bawumia and President Akufo-Addo of engaging in corruption and coverup for corrupt officials.
The discussions centered on the Office of the Attorney-General’s advice to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) not to initiate any move to investigate money laundering in the dealings of the former Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Dapaah.
7. Akufo-Addo may have compromised the investigations on Cecilia Dapaah case – Ohene Ntow
A Former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who has crossed the carpet to support independent presidential candidate Alan Kyerematen, has accused President Akufo-Addo of making a prejudicial statement in the case against former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources Cecilia Abena Dapaah.
It is recalled that President Akufo-Addo applauded Madam Dapaah as she resigned from his government. Madam Abena Dapaah tendered her resignation on Saturday, July 22, last year barely 24 hours after the public discourse on her stolen cash.
Accepting her resignation, President Akufo-Addo described the work done by the former Bantama Member of Parliament as “excellent and productive”.
“It is with considerable regret that I accept your resignation, and I applaud your loyalty to the image and standing of the government,” he wrote.
“The work you undertook during your period in Government was excellent and productive, and I thank you for your wholehearted contribution and devotion to the progress of the Government and the nation.”
President Akufo-Addo also expressed confidence that “at the end of the day, your integrity, whilst in office, will be fully established”.
Nana Ohene Ntow said “The president may have comprised this investigation right from day one. Once you get the sense that the president wants this matter to drift in a certain way, you can’t do the investigation.
8. Attorney-General’s advice on Cecilia Dapaah case wrong – Kpebu
Private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu, has stated that there is no need to establish a predicate offense in money laundering before a person can be charged for that offence.
A predicate offense is an illegal activity that is the foundation or the first crime in the chain of another crime. For example, in money laundering, an illicit act of tax evasion can be construed as a “predicate offense,” as the illegal proceeds generated from tax evasion would be laundered.
Kpebu says that if one fails to disclose the source of the income, it is enough to charge the person with money laundering.
He was commenting on the Office of the Attorney-General’s advice to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) not to initiate any move to investigate money laundering in the dealings of the former Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Dapaah.
Mr Kpebu said “The advisory is totally wrong … hogwash. It is clearly a mistake and must be withdrawn.
“Failure to disclose the money itself can be used as money laundering, they can use it as a basis to charge for money laundering
“The principle that you need a predicate offense in such a matter, Ghana has moved on from there. You don’t need a predicate offense for money laundering.”
9. Monetization of election isn’t new – Agyemang-Duah on alleged bribery of EC officials in Ejisu by-election
A Governance Expert Professor Baffuor Agyemang-Duah has said that monetisation is not new in Ghana’s politics.
To him, the system is corrupt therefore, to deal with this matter, a holistic approach will have to be adopted by all stakeholders to tackle the corrupt system.
“We are behaving as if this is a new thing, it is not. We need to find an antidote and stop it.
“In previous elections, candidates had publicly admitted they gave money, both from the NPP and NDC. The system is corrupt, so what do we do? Let us sanitize the system,” he said.
He was contributing to a discussion on the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) lawmaker for Kwadaso Dr Kingsley Nyarko who was seen on live television handing over a white envelope suspected to contain money to two EC officials.
10. The lowest point in Ejisu by-election is NPP distributing ‘Wee’ – Sammy Gyamfi
The National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, says that the lowest point in the just-ended by-election in Ejisu is the alleged distribution of ‘Wee’ by the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He called on the police to investigate this matter.
“The lowest point of our country is NPP distributing wee at Ejisu…they are destroying the future of this country,” he said on the Key Points on TV3 on Saturday, May 4.
He urged the Police to “take up this matter and investigate it.”
He further expressed shock that the NPP leadership has not issued a statement on this matter.
“Till date, NPP has not issued a statement condemning this matter,” he said.
Sammy Gyamfi further stated that the results that the NPP had in the just-ended by-election in Ejisu, a by-election the NDC stayed away from, clearly show that the governing party is on its way into opposition.
He observed that the NPP’s votes in Ejisu dropped in the by-election, compared to the results they garnered in previous elections.
“It clearly shows NPP are on their way out of office,…this is not a victory for them. This is tantamount to defeat and that is why they can’t even celebrate this victory,” he said.
11. GRA-SML: Afenyo-Markin has no respect for people of this country – Sammy Gyamfi responds to Majority Leader
12. GRA-SML: It is worrying for Afenyo-Markin to defend such a deal – Ohene Ntow
13. Power crisis: Energy Minister does not care about the sentiments of the people – Kpebu
14. Power crisis: President did not say ‘dumsor’ is over – Amoakwa-Boadu
