Godwin Edudzi Tameklo, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority, has accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of attacking free speech in power but defending it when they lose power.
According to Edudzi Tameklo, the NPP, who are talking about free speech today, once denied a former president courtesies because he criticised the government.
The NPA CEO contended that Ghana’s political parties often change their positions on rights and freedoms depending on whether they are in government or opposition.
Edudzi Tameklo described the situation as political hypocrisy.
He further recounted how the NPP treated Rawlings, adding that official government communication at the time explained that Rawlings’ comments against the government influenced decisions regarding state support for his travels.
Speaking on TV3’s Keypoints, Edudzi Tameklo stated, “The same people talking about free speech today once denied a former president courtesies because he criticised government”.
“They attack free speech when they have power and suddenly defend it when they lose power,” Edudzi Tameklo stated.
In related news, Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has boldly stated he does not regret withdrawing the diplomatic passport and courtesies of the late Jerry John Rawlings.
Reports suggest that, in the year 2001, after former President Rawlings left office, he was no longer accorded courtesies that were due him under the provisions of the 1992 Constitution.
“Although it was embedded in the 1992 Constitution that neither the President nor the Foreign Minister has the power to vary the pensions and facilities available to the former President to his disadvantage during his lifetime, those privileges were withdrawn by the then Kufour administration.
Also, Rawlings had his monthly pension re-computed based on the Greenstreet report. The Greenstreet report was the recommendation of a committee set up by the Kufuor administration to discuss ex gratia awards for ex-Presidents of Ghana”, reports stated.
The NPP government led by Kufuor retrieved all state vehicles in the custody of ex-President Jerry John Rawlings, among others.
In a resurfaced old video of former President Kufuor, he revealed he never regretted withdrawing the diplomatic passport and courtesies of former President Jerry John Rawlings for smearing him on an international stage.
Speaking in the resurfaced video, in an interview with Bola Ray, when quizzed if he regrets withdrawing the former President Jerry John Rawlings diplomatic courtesies, Kufuour stated, “Do you know what he did to me, please don’t let us go into that. Not pay back, but I was the sitting head of state, he was formal and sitting in a way that personifies the state”.
“When you go out to some foreign lands to speak, to describe your sitting head of state as incompetent and a disgrace to the nation, suppose it was his time, you think you could have said that about him and come back to Ghana?”.
“He came after such a trip, demanding that all of these things that courtesies be extended. So I said no when you use the word courtesy you should know that it is give and take. We withdraw so you don’t do it again”, he added.
When quizzed if he regretted his actions, Former President Kufuor boldly stated, No’, he does not regret doing that.
He further touched on his relationship with the late Nana Konadu, saying, Occassionally we meet. At a function, we shake hands. His wife is a distant relative of mine from Kumasi. These days, my relations with his wife are fine. Some time ago, some things really disturbed and I expressed my displeasure in ways for her to know she needed to go gingerly”.
