Minister of Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare Addo, has defended the government’s approach to holding former officials accountable, insisting that there is nothing wrong with inviting individuals for questioning if there are suspicions of wrongdoing.
Opare Addo dismissed claims of political persecution, stating that anyone who has served in government must be prepared to account for their stewardship when their tenure ends.
He emphasized that the current administration under President John Mahama has remained law-abiding and has not engaged in the kind of intimidation that occurred under the previous government.
“I am not sure we have done anything wrong by inviting people legally. Anybody who gets the opportunity to serve in government must be willing to account for their stewardship when their tenure ends. And if there is suspicion of a crime, there is nothing wrong with being invited,” he said.
The Minister contrasted the current government’s approach with what he described as the “Rambo-style” arrests under former President Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration.
“We saw what happened in this country under President Akufo-Addo and his cronies. People were chased out, hounded, and intimidated. But nothing like that has happened,” he added.
Referring to the recent events surrounding the residence of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, Opare Addo commended the government’s response, urging the public not to misconstrue the situation. He maintained that the Mahama administration remains committed to the rule of law and due process.
“Why are they all running away? They should stay and account for their time in office. We live here; we saw what happened in the past. But we are doing things right, and we are not going to act in an untoward manner,” he stressed.
Minister George Opare Addo’s comments come amid growing debates over the treatment of former government officials and whether ongoing investigations into alleged financial misconduct amount to political witch-hunting.
Story by Freedom Lavoe.
