Kow Essuman, the counsel to President Nana Akufo-Addo, has exposed the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, over the submission of the current numbers of presidential staffers employed at the Jubilee House.
In a scathing tweet directed at Ablakwa, Essuman slammed what he termed as “reprehensible lies” perpetuated by the MP.
Essuman questioned the necessity of Ablakwa’s demand for an annual report on presidential staffers when, according to him, such a report had already been submitted by the president to Parliament as mandated by law.
“What is totally reprehensible is that you continue to perpetrate this very same lie every year and, when exposed, fail to apologise to the president and the Ghanaian people. How can you demand an annual report that has already been submitted by the president? It is simply inconceivable!” Essuman wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday (9 April).
Essuman pointed out that on 25 March 2024, President Akufo-Addo submitted the annual report on the staffing position of the Office of the President for the year ending 31 December 2023, to the Speaker of Parliament.
What is totally reprehensible is that you continue to perpetrate this very same lie every year and, when exposed, fail to apologise to the President and the Ghanaian people. How can you demand an annual report that has already been submitted by the President? It is simply… https://t.co/w8UPEgE9S9
— Kow Essuman (@kaessuman) April 9, 2024
He highlighted the formal acknowledgment of receipt by the Speaker’s office on 28 March 2024, challenging the validity of Ablakwa’s claims.
“If a thorough and formal investigation had been conducted, as you claim, this information would undoubtedly have been uncovered.”
“Perpetrating such baseless falsehoods by individuals holding esteemed positions significantly undermines the governance process. I respectfully urge the retraction of your statement and insist on an immediate, unequivocal apology to the President and the Ghanaian populace for propagating this deliberate disinformation,” Essuman stated.
It will be recalled that Ablakwa tweeted on Monday, accusing President Akufo-Addo of continuous breach of the Presidential Office Act, which mandates the submission of an annual report to Parliament. Ablakwa emphasised the importance of the report in facilitating parliamentary oversight and ensuring financial accountability.
“The continuous breach of the Presidential Office Act by the President impedes the conduct of our parliamentary oversight and our lawful mandate in pursuing financial accountability.
“This cannot be a proud legacy for President Akufo-Addo — Ghana deserves better. We demand the annual report NOW!” he tweeted.
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