US Embassy makes embarrassing U-Turn

The governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) has hit hard at the United Kingdom (UK) and United States (US), for falling for what it calls, the opposition New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) “malicious propaganda”, following the shooting incident at the Nima residence of the NPP Flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo, by heavily armed thugs stationed there.

The party, in a statement signed by its National Chairman, Kofi Portuphy, insisted that “the NDC seeks to state emphatically, that at no point was the residence of Nana Akufo-Addo targeted by the NDC”, adding “we believe that our international partners must be more diligent in seeking the truth, rather than relying on biased political and media propaganda”.

Meanwhile, questions are being asked, as to whether the guns shot at Akufo-Addo’s residence, are registered with the police as mandated by law.

The ownership of the guns, is also in dispute. A footage from a CCTV camera, located at the entrance of Akufo-Addo’s residence, is also been sought after by the police to determine, who provoked the incident.

In his statement, Mr. Portuphy charged, “the NDC notes with interest the threats issued by the two missions to revoke visas and other such diplomatic actions and wonders why similar threats or sanctions have not been considered after previous incidents when the NPP and its supporters have been engaged in inciting or instigating violence, including hate speech”.

He unequivocally stated that, as party, “we believe that Ghana is on a path of consolidating its democracy and is a firm believer in the rule of law. We put our trust in the law enforcement authorities to conduct a diligent investigation into the persons and parties responsible for provoking such incidents”.

The NDC government, he said, will “as always, continue to work for peaceful, free, fair and democratic elections, free from violence and intimidation”, but noted with regret “that the NPP leader Nana Akufo-Addo has not yet directly condemned the violent actions of his armed body guards, which is a direct threat to our democracy and a peaceful, credible electoral process”.

The NDC’s statement, follows threats by the two countries to revoke the visas of political leaders, who incite violence before, during, and after the December elections.

The two countries, issued the warning days after the NDC and NPP, clashed during a health walk organized by the former.
The statement issued by the two countries, made direct reference to the clashes between the two parties in front of the Nima residence of the NPP Flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo, during the event.

But the NDC, in a direct response to the warning, said the two countries would “have become aware of the facts and not be subject to manipulation by the maliciously efficient propaganda machine of the NPP,” if they had been” a bit more painstaking and diligent in their inquiry into the incident.

“The NDC notes with concern a direct accusation made against the NDC by a US representative without recourse to the facts of the incident. We believe that if our diplomatic friends had been a bit more painstaking and diligent in their inquiry into the incident, they would have become aware of the facts and not be subject to manipulation by the maliciously efficient propaganda machine of the NPP”.

It explained that “the planned peaceful Health walk which started from the La Trade Fair Centre and went through various principal streets of Accra, Nima and Maamobi, was attended by thousands of peaceful NDC supporters”.

The governing party, further explained that “the agreed route of the walk took the NDC supporters along the Ring Road with a left turn at the Nima Police Station junction and onward toward the Nima highway. At the time the supporters reached the location adjacent to the Nima Police Station, they were subjected to an unprovoked attack by armed guards from the residence of Nana Akufo Addo which is located close by in the neighbourhood”.

Mr. Portuphy’s statement stated that “it is worthy for the two missions to note, that the preliminary report of the police vindicates the NDC and its supporters”, adding “a statement by the Police Spokesperson, confirms that not only were the bodyguards from Nana Akufo Addo armed, they pointed a gun and threatened a police officer on the scene”.

The NDC National Chairman’s statement, again pointed out “it is important to also note that despite all efforts, Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP have blatantly refused to release CCTV footage from a camera located at the entrance of the residence because they are aware that it would expose the falsehood of their claims”.

He cited how the “acting General Secretary of the NPP, John Boadu, emphatically told host of OKAY FM’s morning show, Kwame Nkrumah Tikese on Monday that, the party will not make the footage public”.

Mr. Portuphy’s statement’s disclosed how the same John Boadu “….also admitted the Police’ Criminal Investigation Department was initially blocked from entering the compound of the house to take evidence after the NDC supporters left the scene. This confirms a widely held suspicion that this was done deliberately to cover up and to create a scene to confirm their false allegations that NDC supporters pelted stones at them”.

He pledged that “the NDC is committed to peaceful free and fair elections and agrees that violence has no place in any election, and that all our people should stand firm in protection of Ghana’s democracy. Indeed as the governing party, the NDC has the greatest stake in maintaining Ghana’s reputation as a stable and mature democracy”.

The NDC, according to its national chairman “remains a party of peace, protective of our hard-won democracy and the freedom and safety of all our people. We believe that our internati