“I throw a challenge to Mr Herbert Mensah to back his allegations with concrete proof that President Mills who is against profligate spending would set aside such a whopping amount of money in his bid to be elected as the party’s flag bearer for the 2012 elections,’ he said.
Reacting to assertions by Mr Mensah who described himself as “a friend of President Jerry Rawlings and his wife”, Mr Owusu-Acheampong, a Member of the Council of State, saidvit beats his imagination that Mr Mensah would concoct and put into the public domain lies intended to denigrate and dent the integrity of President Mills.
He said President Mills is one personality who will not engage in extravagance for the primary and sole aim of retaining the flag bearer position at the party’s congress in July.
He said ever since he assumed the position of head of state of the country, President Mills had always preached self-denial to his functionaries and for someone in the person of Mr Mensah to attempt to portray the President as indulging in wanton display of wealth and opulence was preposterous.
“An amount of GH¢90 million could easily rehabilitate the country’s rail system through which the country would derive long-term benefit, and for that matter President Mills would be the last person to sanction such an act which he would consider as counter-productive to the aspirations of the broad masses of the people,’
He stressed that President Mills was sensitive to the plight of the people, and would rather commit resources to the well-being of the people and not engage in any personal aggrandisement.
Mr Owusu-Acheampong said any attempt to throw dirt at President Mills just to score undeserved political points would not wash, since he had displayed modesty, humility and concern for the ordinary man and woman through his life.
‘ The President is aware of the major challenges confronting the social and economic development of the country which demand huge financial outlay to resolve and for that matter would ensure judicious usage of national resources,’ he said.
He said the good people of Ghana are patiently waiting for Mr Mensah to substantiate his claims or else risk outright public ridicule and contempt.
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