Mustapha Gbande, the Deputy Director of Operations at the Presidency, has expressed disappointment in his party and government over how the NDC’s National Organiser Joseph Yamin has been treated.
It will be recalled that the Attorney General, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, in July this year, directed the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to launch a full-scale investigation into alleged illegal mining activities involving Joseph Yamin, the NDC’s National Organiser and Yakubu Abanga, the party’s National Vice Chairman.
According to Mustapha Gbande, Yamin is ready to face any security agency, including the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), over the allegation levelled against him.
He, however, argued that the prudent thing to have been done over the allegation was for Yamin to be questioned by leaders of the NDC first.
Mustapha Gbande further claimed that some individuals are behind Joseph Yamin’s ordeal.
Speaking in a recent interview on UTV, Mustapha Gbande, “He (Yamin) is not a mean person; he is your national organiser. We are here. When the issues start coming up, they will come in grand style. NPP would have stopped what happened under President Akufo-Addo, but they didn’t have courageous people leading them.
“We have the courageous people, and when the die is cast, the resultant effect will be devastating. At least you are an appointee; it is only wise that the party that brought you… I can mention names, but I won’t. The CEOs, they know themselves,” he said.
“Nobody is afraid of the other; it is because of wisdom that everybody is quiet. It is wrong. What is wrong is condemnable, unacceptable, and it must be dismissed. And we must speak to it. When you are quiet, it doesn’t mean you are a coward. I’m not a coward.
“Man is born to die but once. It is because we are all in government, and should accord each other respect, which is why everybody is quiet, but I don’t think it was a fair treatment of Yamin. I don’t,” he fumed.
He added, “We are to use intelligence when it comes to law enforcement matters. If someone does something wrong, we have party leaders who should call and ask him, ‘Yamin, did you do what you are being accused of?’
“You can’t have a government that believes that I won’t protect party people. Nobody is asking you to shield a crime of a party person, and every day we educate party people not to get themselves involved in something that is criminal. Because when it gets there, the president will save you… it is only wise that if your party member does something, you call and ask him about it,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Kenneth Ashigbey, the convenor of the Anti-Galamsey Coalition, has said the National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Organiser, Joseph Yamin, and the party’s National Vice Chairman, Yakubu Abanga, over their alleged connection in illegal mining.
Dr Ashigbey noted that the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has failed to apprehend the two NDC executives despite the directives from the Attorney-General and Minister.
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@officialokayfm Joseph Yamin has not been treated fairly according to Mustapha Gbandi #okayfm ♬ original sound – Okay101.7FM