Charlotte Osei, the former Chairperson of the Electoral Commission
•Kwesi Pratt reckons the government is not being honest with Ghanaian over the Sputnik V saga
•He also believes that the government is picking and choosing who it should prosecute
•He reckons the principle equality before the law is not being applied in the case involving Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu
Kwesi Pratt Jnr, the Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper says government’s handling of the Sputnik V saga flies in the face of the principle of equality before the law.
Kwesi Pratt on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana program bemoaned the seeming preferential treatment being handed to all government officials complicit in the Sputnik V vaccine fiasco.
Pratt is surprised and disappointed that the same government that prosecuted some persons over breaches of the procurement laws appears not to be interested in taking the same route against officials involved in the saga.
Citing the case of former chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei, the veteran journalist wondered why actions were taking against her but not against Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu.
“You cannot have a democracy anywhere in the world where the principle of equality of citizens is not respected. It’s a cardinal principle and when you violate the principle of equality of citizens before the law, the very foundation of democracy is shaken if not broken.
“In light of all this what comes to my mind is what then justifies the continued prosecution of Dr Opuni. How do we feel when you begin look at how monumental decisions took place at the Electoral Commission ahead of the last elections and the justification we provided that? Can we in all honesty and sincerity say that it was okay to remove Charlotte Osei as EC chair? I’m not sure?
Pratt noted government has not been forthright with Ghanaians over the deal and that he smells a cover up.
He described as ‘cathedral of lies’ statement from government officials on the matter and wondered why action has not been taking so far.
“The fact also is that all the stories we were told about this transaction have turned out to be absolutely false. No truth in what we were told either by the Ministry of Health and Finance. The claim that we were dealing with Russian officials turned out to be false. As others have said, this has been a cathedral of lies.
“The Minister himself make serious admissions. Even about his ability to soak pressure and things and these the things the must guide us in making determination as to how we should proceed,” he said.
Whiles a section of Ghanaians clamor for the head of Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, his boss, President Akufo-Addo has suggested that he is being persecuted by Ghanaians.
Speaking in the Bono Region on Tuesday, August 10, 2021, during his two-day tour of the region, President Akufo-Addo said, “There are a lot of people from the Bono Region in my government; including the Minister of Health, who is currently receiving slaps [from Ghanaians]. He is an indigene from Dormaa. He has really suffered in that Health Ministry and is still suffering.”