Martin A.B.K. Amidu, a former minister for justice and attorney general, claims that Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the deputy minister of information, has been spreading “lies” to the public for too long.
In addition, the former AG criticised Ablakwa harshly for what he claimed were the deputy information minister’s efforts to weaken the authority of substantive information ministers he had served under, particularly the outgoing minister, John Tia Akologo.
Speaking on the Accra-based radio station Oman FM, Mr. Amidu claimed that the NDC and the ruling party’s electoral prospects were both being negatively impacted by Mr. Ablakwa’s actions.
Mr. Amidu claims that the Deputy Information Minister called him to plead for the payment of the $1.3 million that Isofoton SA claimed was owed to them.
The request was denied, according to the former AG, because a court case was ongoing at the time.
Even though the deputy information minister, who also spoke to Oman FM, acknowledged calling Mr. Amidu, he refuted some of the former attorney general’s claims that he begged him to approve payment to Isofoton.
However, the anti-corruption activist argued that it was improper for the Deputy Information Minister to have called him regarding the situation without first consulting his (Ablakwa’s) superior, John Tia Akologo, the Minister of Information at the time.
“Mr. Okudzeto is a young man, and he should take upon himself responsibilities befitting a deputy Minister and not to be usurping positions of substantive Ministers…when John Tia was there, he rendered him virtually useless,” Mr Amidu said.
It was wrong for Mr. Ablakwa to keep this information from me while he was working at the Information Ministry, but it would be inaccurate to say that he reduced my standing. I had very good relationships with Okudzeto and Agyenim Boateng, the former minister of information told Citi Fm.
“They respected me, they came to my office each time I called them and even on their own they’d come and say that Minister, we think A, B C and so on.
“We had very good relationship so I wouldn’t have known that there were acts that were taking place.” “I never saw any issue of any judgment debt on my table. They are obliged after I have delegated powers to them to brief or apprise me. If they act or do something on my behalf or should any deputy act on behalf of their ministers, they should be able to apprise the Minister because he as the Minister takes the ultimate responsibility for anything.”
Ablakwa asserted that he only got involved after the Isofoton people presented a petition to the Minister John Tia, who wasn’t there.
Instead of telling his boss, he kept it a secret and called Mr. Amidu to persuade him to approve the payment of money to the Spanish company.