“We never gave contract to Woyome” -Fmr President Kufuor speaks out

29-01-2012          

Former Prez Kufuor

Former President John Agyekum  Kufuor has taken a swipe  at critics of the ruling  NDC ,stating that the NPP administration never gave contract to Alfred Agbesi  woyome, the man at the centre stage of the judgement debt  scandal.  Speaking to Radio Ghana in Bolgatanga, Mr Kufuor said as far as he is concern, the NPP never engage in any fishy deal with Mr Woyome. According to him, the NPP has nothing to hide and would only be answerable to an independent Public committee of enquiry and not the Economic and Organized Crimes Office (EOCO). Mr Kufuor who was reacting to allegations on their alleged involvement in the Woyome saga insisted that EOCO has no judicial right to compel some ministers of the previous administration to appear before the investigative body adding that the NPP will only cooperate with the directive if the matter is investigated in the open so that Ghanaians will judge for themselves. This, he said, can be done through the radio and television particularly, GTV.  Asked whether Mr Woyome was entitled to the GHc 58 million paid to him, Mr Kufuor said Mr. Woyome has no right to claim any money from government because he had no contract with the state and further questioned why the Attorney General opted to authorize the payment of such a whopping amount of money without defending the state. According to him, mysteries surrounding the payment of the said amount to Mr Woyome, a financial of the NDC should be unraveled and transparently investigated to bring his accomplices to book. Mr. Kufuor justified the refusal and stance of some leading members of his administration to appear before EOCO, indicating that the NPP will not cooperate with any organization apart from an independent commission of enquiry.  Touching on the exploration of the country’s oil find, Mr. Kufuor was not happy about the management of the black gold though the incumbent government made Ghanaians to believe that the oil was indeed going to be a blessing and not a curse. To him, there is not enough transparency in the administration of the oil and gas sector, saying the people of Ghana should be availed the opportunity to see the insight of the state of the art project. Ghanaians, he emphasized demand more transparency in the sector and hoped that parliament will take up the responsibility of ensuring decency in the dealings of the sector. He said when the oil was first discovered, his administration fished out the best practices in the management of the sector and subsequently work out a framework of governing the sector but lost unfortunately to the NDC, therefore the  return of the NPP, Mr. Kufuor assured will ensure the transformation of infrastructural development from the proceeds of the oil find.