Seasoned journalist, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has taken notice of a rejoinder by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) regarding some comments he made on Peace FM’s morning show.
Kweku Baako, speaking on the morning show “Kokrokoo” on Wednesday, September 17, 2020 criticized the NDC flagbearer, John Mahama’s “sakawa sod-cutting” claims about the Akufo-Addo administration.
Mr. John Mahama, delivering a speech at the NDC Town Hall Meeting in Kumasi, described the sod-cuttings for the commencement of some infrastructure projects under President Nana Akufo-Addo’s government as sakawa, to wit scam.
In a response to Mr. Mahama’s claims, Kweku Baako sought to expose the hypocrisy of the former President saying he cut sods for the Kumasi International Airport and Tema motorway during his reign for “electoral purposes” because no proper documentations and preparations were done by him while cutting sods for the projects.
“My checks indicate that that particular sod cutting was needless. It had no real foundation because it’s true Parliamentary approval for that particular loan facility had been effected but there were conditions precedent which were laid out that without that the agreements will not come into force. Some were value for money audit and others were that he should sign the loan agreement before they can proceed with the construction. At the time he cut the sod, the financing agreements had not been signed. Indeed, these things were done in 2018.
“My own checks and documentations I have accessed, point to the fact that the first sod cutting was for purely electoral purposes. Oh yes! It was completely baseless. There was no basis for it; no foundation for it but they did cut the sod on 5th December 2016…It was totally unnecessary but it was done for as I said electoral purposes”, he told host Kwami Sefa Kayi.
His remarks appear not to have gone down well with the NDC.
In a statement signed by its National Communications Officer Sammy Gyamfi, the opposition party refuted Kweku Baako’s assertions and called him a liar.
“Mr. Baako’s claim that President Mahama cut the sod for the Tema Motorway Interchange project when no budgetary allocation or funding was available for same is a palpable falsehood.
“The facts show, that even though the preparatory works and funding for the said project (a US$55 million grant from the Japanese government through JICA) was secured by the erstwhile NDC/Mahama government, H.E John Dramani Mahama never cut the sod for the commencement of the project when he was President of the Republic of Ghana between the period of 2013 to January 7, 2017”, the party said.
But Mr. Baako has released a statement saying he will appropriately and accordingly reply the NDC on their rejoinder, next week Wednesday, September 23.
All ears are to eagerly turn to Kokrokoo on the said date as the man of records goes into his documents to address the NDC.
Read his full statement below:
My attention has been called to a “rejoinder” from/by the NDC signed by its National Communication Officer, Mr. Sammy Gyamfi, to my submissions on statements made by former President John Mahama relative to “Sakawa Sod Cuttings”.
The submissions under reference were made on the September 17th, 2020 edition of Peace Fm’s flagship programme, Kokrokoo.
The NDC rejoinder demands an unqualified public retraction and apology from me relative to my submissions.
That demand is duly noted.
My response to the said demand will be delivered on Wednesday, September 23, 2020 on the originating platform, Kokrokoo, Peace Fm, 104.3. Stay tuned!