Dr. Amoako Tuffuor tells Ghanaians that “gossips don’t bring food to the table; speculations don’t bring jobs to the people.”
Full text Press Conference, May 31, 2005
In the recent past (1979-year 2000) except for the brief reign of PNP under Limann, we experienced lots of envy and hatred from our government.
Businessmen were supposed to be thieves and they were attacked and their businesses destroyed. Several jobs for the people were lost. The effects to unemployment are still haunting the people.
No country can develop when its citizens are subjected to daily treatment of speculations, misconceptions, character assassinations, depressing and irreparable damage to peoples’ long developed honour, dignity and reputation.
Our common law stipulates that “one is innocent until proven guilty” and not accused must prove his innocence.
However, it seems the sentiments of June 4, 1979 are beginning to come back. The NPP government came and started a reconciliation process; confiscated assets of the poor should go back to the owners, some of whom have died; the confidentiality of the banks are being slowly restored; there is a lot of confidence in remittances from abroad.
All these can be destroyed and the country can go back into the doldrums. We must watch and stop any actions of the past that are rearing their heads.
In England the British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher’s son, Mark, secured a loan of $400, 000, 000 (US) from the Middle East for an investment, sure there was some noise, but in the end no crime was committed. The loan helped her people.
In the US, Mr. George Bush (now President of the US) was involved in millions of dollars of business deals when his father was President that was not found to be criminal.
Unless otherwise proven by the law, the son of the President of Ghana can do business in Ghana, so long as the money was legitimately acquired and properly invested. It can help Ghanaians, through job creation and service.
If anyone has proof of crime or wrongdoing, that person should use the Court of Law or CHRAJ. Otherwise, it’s all noise! Or is it another AFRC style of invading the confidentiality of the banks, that destroyed the economy of Ghana during Rawlings’ June 4 AFRC government of 1979. We should bear in mind that the NPP government appears to be the most tolerant in our political history.
All these orchestrated noises are leading this country to destruction; we have seen it before. Ghana has been set up and destroyed before. Supposing after all the investigations, it ends up that the president, or his or both have not done anything wrong can you begin to appreciate the damage that would have been done to the president and the serious delays in solving urgent national problems?
I respectfully wish to state that suspecting someone of wrongdoing does not necessarily mean he is guilty. He has to be proven guilty. Therefore while the investigations for facts are going on, allow the government the peace and quiet to concentrate on her work for the benefit of all.
Source: GhanaWeb
