CJ in kidnapping saga: Minister approval in limbo

• Posted on August 2, 2016
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The minority in parliament – the New Patriotic Party – is leading a crusade to get the house to reject the nomination of National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Nkwanta North in the Volta Region, John Oti Bless, as deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development.

It is being spearheaded by the Minority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, MP for Suame in the Ashanti Region, and his colleague Joe Osei-Wusu, MP for Bekwai, also in the region, following what is turning out to be ‘reckless comments’ amid threats made against Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, by the nominee. He is also reported to have implicated the CJ in a kidnapping bid.

Total Rejection

Oti Bless was expected to be given the nod by the house yesterday but as at press time, there was what looked like lobbying to get more MPs to block the Nkwanta North MP’s clearance.

There is already a petition before the Speaker Edward Doe Adjaho by Richard Asante Yeboah, asking parliament to defer the approval of Oti Bless.

DAILY GUIDE learnt that Oti Bless’ confirmation had subsequently been stood down pending a meeting by the leadership of the house on the petition.

The Nkwanta North MP is said to have made the scandalous comments, including kidnapping allegation, against the Chief Justice on Montie FM – an Accra-based radio station – which has become notorious for broadcasting hate speeches and remarks as the December 7 general election approaches.

Parliamentary Proceedings

On the floor of the house yesterday, when Oti Bless’ issue was brought up, the Minority Leader said the comments made by his colleague MP were un-parliamentary.

“The language was disparaging to the justices,” Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said, adding that the words used were “unprintable” especially coming from “a Member of Parliament, taking the justices of the Supreme Court to the cleaners without any iota of evidence.”

The Minority Leader even said on radio yesterday that Oti Bless had confirmed he indeed made those comments about the Chief Justice and said the under-pressure MP had expressed regret.

Joe Osei Wusu, who is the Minority Spokesperson on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, had said on Friday that the nominee formed part of the panel that made the contemptuous statements against justices of the Supreme Court on Montie FM.

Kidnapping Allegation

The deputy minister-designate suggested on the show of June 24 – which landed the Montie 3 in prison – that the Chief Justice was part of a plot to kidnap a child of Tony Lithur who was President Mahama’s lawyer during the Presidential Election Petition case heard by the Supreme Court.

“Let me give you a last filla (information). Do you know that during the Election Petition case, these people made a plot to kidnap a child of Tony Lithur who was lawyer for our Excellency John Mahama so he would not concentrate on the case?

“We have to watch this Chief Justice. My brother Mugabe (referring to the host), I am telling you, when you go to the Supreme Court today, the Chief Justice is fighting one worker all because of politics,” Oti Bless was reported as saying.

A few days after making the scandalous comment on Montie Fm, he was ‘rewarded’ with a ministerial appointment by President John Mahama, which is now facing resistance in parliament.

The host of the afternoon political talk-show called ‘Pampaso’ on Montie FM, Salifu Maase aka Mugabe, together with two NDC activists – Godwin Ako Gunn, 39 and Alistair Tairo Nelson, 41 – are currently serving four months each in jail for scandalizing the court. In addition, they have been fined GH¢10,000 each or in default, serve a month each in jail.

Vetting Process

Oti Bless, apart from what many see as going on radio to scandalize the Supreme Court, performed poorly at the vetting, in the estimation of the minority.

In a vetting that was shown live on state broadcaster, GTV, the young MP, who said he is not married but has two children, appeared to fumble in answering many pertinent questions asked.

The minority said even the least of questions seeking clarity on his own CV presented to the committee, could not be answered satisfactorily.

Unsavory Comments

Oti Bless reportedly said specifically on ‘Pampaso’ on June 24, 2016 that the Chief Justice had to be monitored closely because she was actively engaged in partisan politics and was working against the Mahama NDC administration and also added that the Chief Justice had been ‘scheming’ for the NPP to win cases.

“Today we have a CJ who because of a political favour done her will do anything to help the NPP. It is an agenda. The Electoral Commission should stop working and give it to Georgina Wood. Why meddling in the affairs of the Electoral Commission?” He fired.

By William Yaw Owusu