C/R NDC fumes at NPP over Allotey Jacobs

Central Regional Communications Secretariat of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) has taken a swipe at the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) for fabricating the false arrest of its regional Chairman, Mr. Bernard Allotey Jacobs, in the United Kingdom (UK) for money laundering and drug related offences.

The communicators pointed out that although the NPP has over the years gained notoriety for peddling falsehood and playing dirty politics, the desperate move they employed in their bid to bring the name of their chairman into disrepute shows that the party was drowning.

At a press conference yesterday in Cape Coast to respond to the falsehood, the NDC Regional Communications Director, Mr. Kwesi Dawood, stated that the unwarranted attacks on Mr. Allotey Jacobs proves that his understanding of modern politics was way beyond what the NPP imagined.

In his opinion Mr. Allotey Jacobs’s style of administration has rendered the NPP redundant in the region, making the place a no go area for the party hence its desperation and frustration.

“The NPP is desperate, frustrated and dazed with the kind of development and job creation opportunities currently going on in the region under Chairman Allotey’s watch so obviously the only thing they can do which they know best to do is to engage in smear campaign,” he stated.

Mr. Dawood questioned the authority and right of the NPP to ask for the academic qualifications and competencies of Mr. Allotey Jacobs which led to his appointment to the board of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA).

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“The NPP has forgotten that in their eight years in power, they had Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Sheik I.C Quaye, Mocta Bamba among others occupying high offices who were and still are certificateless,” he claimed.

He added: “Lest we forget, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, their flag-bearer’s law credential, has, for decades, been a bone of contention after having a third class honours in Economics from the University of Ghana, Legon. Has he been able to produce his law certificate,” he asked?

He indicated that the habit of always questioning the academic credentials of people by the NPP affirms the party’s disrespect to the ordinary Ghanaian, and instead affirmed their elitist traits contrary to its claim of having the ordinary man at heart.

“This mentality of class system is dangerous for our democracy,” he noted.

To this end, he used the opportunity to re-affirm the party’s support for Mr. Allotey Jacobs claiming that he remains a pillar in the NDC’s quest to clinch 20 or more parliamentary seats in the region and 57% of popular votes cast from the region for President John Dramani Mahama in the upcoming General Elections.

He hinted that Mr. Allotey Jacobs will be given a heroic welcome by party members on his return to the country because of his vindication by no less an entity or person than the UK law enforcement agencies and the UK High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr. Jon Benjamin.

“The NPP must know that doing politics in today’s globalised world has changed and they must as well change their modus operandi for Ghanaians are very discerning,” he advised.

Below is the full statement
PRESS CONFERENCE HELD BY THE CENTRAL REGIONAL COMMUNICATION SECRETARIAT OF THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS (NDC) ON JUNE 2, 2016 AT THE REGIONAL PARTY SECRETARIAT.

We highly commend your swift response and attendance to this all- important Press conference at this rather short notice to address some issues which sought to bring the name of our indefatigable Chairman, Bernard Allotey Jacobs into disrepute. We wish to unequivocally state that, the news that broke on the 29th May, 2016 to the effect that Chairman Allotey Jacobs was arrested at Heathrow Airport in the UK on the basis of alleged money laundering and cocaine related offences is a pure falsehood peddled by the desperate and drowning NPP by Hopeson Adorye.

INTRODUCTION
The New Patriotic Party (NPP), over the years has gain the notoriety for peddling falsehoods and playing dirty political game. The records of the NPP in drug-related crimes is etched in gold. The NPP’s insatiable taste for drug business know no bound, hence, leading to a frivolous accusation against the Regional Chairman of the NDC, Chairman Bernard Allotey Jacobs as having been busted for drug-related offences and money laundering in the UK. This story emanating from the stables of the NPP was issued by Hopeson Adorye, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo’s “darling boy” on Sunday, 29th May 2016. This dominated the social media space and mainstream Ghanaian media.

MATTERS ARISING

The British High Commissioner to Ghana, H.E. Jon Benjamin denied the reports in a series of tweets on Sunday followed by a full statement from the High Commission the next day.

In the said statement, pledging the UK government’s policy to remain entirely neutral in Ghanaian domestic politics, it stressed that, they do, however, have the full right to respond to claims made about law enforcement issues in the UK itself, particularly when, as in this case, those claims are wholly wrong. The statement further buttressed the point that;
There was no such arrest. Mr Jacobs was not detained, nor was he questioned. There was absolutely no evidence of money laundering or drugs.

The statement further lend credence to the fact that, subsequently, there were persistent further rumours that Mr Jacobs had at least been escorted off the plane by UK law enforcement. After exhaustive and multiple enquiries we state unequivocally that the UK law enforcement authorities with jurisdiction at Heathrow Airport all confirm that they did not board the air plane to speak to Mr Jacobs, nor did they do so subsequently within the precincts of the airport, and they certainly did not escort Mr Jacobs off the flight concerned.

The statement gave the firm assurance among others:
“Our law enforcement authorities keep meticulous records, including of any “escorting off” aeroplanes – there is no such record in the case of Mr Jacobs, as there was no such event. We understand that Mr Jacobs caught his connecting flight to the US on time and without incident.”

This should have ended this malicious fabricated rumuor but rather saw the perpetrator (Hopeson Adorye) defending his claims with former Mayor of Kumasi and Former Member of Parliament under the NPP Kofi Jumah noted for his abrasive politics, coming out to insult the most respected Representative of the British Government in some unprintable words.

It must be put on record that no condemnation came from the NPP which means a tacit endorsement of his uncultured behaviour but rather a statement signed by Nana Akomea, Communications Director, urged members of the NPP to desist from attacking Jon Benjamin by urging communicators, members, as well as sympathisers of the NPP not to get involved in the unsavoury accusations against the British High Commissioner, Jon Benjamin, that he lied and aided corruption by defending the Central Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress; an insult in crafty manner. The statement went on to affirm same rumour with intellectually dishonest claims. This is a clear indication of how diabolic the NPP can be and how bad their brand has become.

REACTION TO PUBLICATIONS BY PRO-NPP NEWSPAPERS
As an orchestra of a vicious circle of character destroyers, the pro-NPP newspapers led by Daily Guide on Wednesday, 1st June 2016, had a banner headline which sought to question the academic qualifications and competencies of Chairman Bernard Allotey Jacobs leading to his appointment to the Board of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) and a member of the delegation to the USA lazily following up from where Nana Akomea left off.
In doing this disgraceful piece, the NPP forgot that in their 8years in power, they had Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey (occupied various Ministerial portfolios) who later became the party’s National Chairman, Sheik I.C. Quaye (Greater Accra Regional Minister), Mocta Bamba (Dep. Minister for Presidential Affairs) among others occupying high offices who are “certificateless”. Lest we forget, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo their Flagbearer’s Law credentials have for decades been a bone of contention after having a Third Class Honours with Economics from the University of Ghana, Legon. Has he been able to produce his Law Certificates? Yet, he has led the NPP into two major elections with defeat as the third monumental defeat stares him in the face.

Having established these facts, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, these acts of questioning the academic credentials and competencies of our Regional Chairman brings to fore the NPP’s disrespect to the ordinary Ghanaian and affirms their Elitist traits and beliefs in the ordinary man is nothing but a tool to be used and dumped. This Mentality of Class system is dangerous for our democracy.

ESTABLISHED MOTIVE.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, the motive behind these unwarranted attacks (though not surprising) is well-established in the fact that the Regional Chairman of the NDC, Chairman Bernard Allotey Jacobs has proven that his understanding of modern politics is way beyond what they imagined. He has made the NPP redundant in the Region. The Central Region today, is a no go area for the NPP and this has been achieved by the hardworking members of the NDC from the Grassroots to the top hierarchy of the Regional body led by Chairman Allotey Jacobs. The NPP is desperate, frustrated and dazed with the kind of development and creation of job opportunities currently ongoing in the Region under Chairman Allotey Jacobs’ watch. Obviously, the only thing they can do which they know best to do was to engage in smear campaign. That’s the NPP for you.

Montesquieu in his 1721 Persian letters which sought to the usage of sarcasm to convey his message, playing on the ridiculousness of society from the point of a visitor in Paris which led him to publish a book titled ‘considerations of the causes of the Grandeur and Decadence of the Romans’ : we want to put on record that, Chairman Allotey Jacobs remains a pillar in NDC’s quest to clinch 20 or more parliamentary seats in Central Region and 57% of popular votes cast from Central Region for President John Dramani Mahama in the impending Elections and so no amount of spurious and unintelligent allegations against his persona or party can dissuade him from achieving this feat.

CONCLUSION
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, it is 5 months to elections; It is sad the NPP has no message to sell, they are struggling to market their Flagbearer who has to travel outside the country after a tour of one or two Regions ostensibly for medical attention. As much as we understand the desperation and frustration of the NPP, we want to assure them that we are FOCUSED to win Election 2016 through hard work, we are ever-ready to support our Regional Chairman to achieve those set objectives in style. The NPP must know that doing politics in today’s globalized world has changed and they must as well change their modus operandi for Ghanaians are very discerning. In conclusion, we entreat the Good People of Ghana to reject once again the NPP because they have proved beyond all reasonable doubt that with this fixation on drug and money laundering, we cannot entrust the destiny of this country into their hands.

Ey3 Zu!!
Long Live The NDC!
Long Live Ghana!!

Thank you.
Kwesi Dawood
(0246388002)
Regional Officer