GHANA POLITICAL ROUNDUP SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2009

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 001119 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KCRM KCOR PHUM PREL GH SUBJECT: GHANA POLITICAL ROUNDUP SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2009 REF: Accra 1085, Accra 1068 ACCRA 00001119 001.6 OF 002 ¶1. (U) Following is an Embassy Accra compilation of political highlights from late September to early October that were not otherwise covered in mission reporting. This report covers the following issues: -- President nominates new ministers to replace those implicated in corruption scandal -- Chaotic Scenes mar NPP Constituency polls -- Remains of murdered Ghanaians returned home -- Ghana@50 Corruption Hearing drawing to a close PRESIDENT REPLACES MINISTERS IMPLICATED IN CORRUPTION -------------- -------------- ¶2. (U) Following the forced resignation of two GOG ministers implicated in the Mabey and Johnson corruption scandal (reftels), President Mills has nominated Joseph Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo, MP for Kpone-Katamanso, as Minister of State at the Presidency; and Dr. Benjamin Kumbour (formerly the Deputy Minister of Health) as Minister of Health. Mills also nominated Dr. Nii Oakley Nii Quaye-Kumah, MP for Krowor, to take Kumbour's position as Deputy Health Minister. ¶3. (SBU) In addition, Baba Kamara, whose selection as High Commissioner to Nigeria was delayed after he was named in the Mabey and Johnson case (ref B),was reinstated October 19 to the Nigeria position by President Mills. An NDC official told POL Chief October 13 that Kamara had only served as an agent for the company and there was no evidence he was directly involved in the alleged bribery. CHAOTIC SCENES MAR NPP CONSTITUENCY POLLS -------------- ¶4. (U) The media reported on chaotic scenes across the country during the election of polling station executives for the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) ahead of its December conference to select new national party executives. [Note: Under the NPP's newly amended party constitution, Polling Station Executives will elect Constituency Executives, who will comprise an electoral college to choose the party's presidential aspirants. Therefore, these party elections are seen as a crucial first step in the selection of the party leadership. End Note]. Some NPP supporters have complained that the process is being manipulated to elect constituency executives favorable to one or another of the party's prospective leaders. ¶5. (U) Elections were suspended in several cases, and irregularities were alleged in a number of districts where elections took place. The NPP has played down reports of widespread irregularities in the process, citing "only minor hitches in some of the centers." REMAINS OF SIX MURDERED GHANAIANS RETURNED HOME -------------- -- ¶6. (U) The remains of six Ghanaians who were murdered in the Gambia four years ago were repatriated to Ghana October 18 accompanied by the Gambian Health Minister. The remains of two additional Ghanaians have yet to be returned. In 2006 it was reported that 44 Ghanaian nationals were abducted and murdered, but a fact finding team set up by ECOWAS and the AU to investigate the killings was unable to confirm the numbers reported by the media. ¶7. (U) The issue assumed a political dimension during the 2008 elections as the former NPP government was accused of insensitivity and ineptitude for failing to apply sufficient pressures on the Gambian government to seek justice for the murdered Ghanaians. After the ECOWAS/AU team presented its report to the Ghanaian government, Foreign Minister Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni said Ghana accepted the report and that the country would make no claims beyond the facts presented by the team. INQUIRY INTO GHANA@50 CELEBRATIONS DRAWS TO A CLOSE -------------- -------------- ¶8. (U) A Presidential Commission continues to investigate the activities of the former government's Ghana@50 Secretariat, due to allegations of corruption, malfeasance and cronyism. Since its establishment in July, the Commission has taken evidence from more than 200 witnesses, including suppliers, contractors, consultants, and officials involved in the celebration of Ghana's 50th anniversary of independence in 2007. ¶9. (U) During the week of October 13, the former Chief Executive of the Ghana@50 Secretariat, Dr. Charles Wereko Brobby, testified before the Commission after being subpoenaed. Wereko Brobby answered accusations that the Secretariat failed to follow appropriate procedures in awarding contracts, leading to the disbursement of money for projects that did not occur or were not completed, and that the Secretariat failed to pay for some projects that were completed. Wereko Brobby acknowledged some problems, but ACCRA 00001119 002.5 OF 002 claimed that he acted pursuant to an Executive Order issued by President Kufuor [Comment: Wereko Brobby implied that an Executive Order permitted the Secretariat to bypass procurement regulations, but there has so far been no evidence of such an Executive Order. Former President Kufuor's Chief of Staff may be able to shed more light on this issue. He is scheduled to testify before the Commission on October 23. End Comment.].