Secret tape wahala: Boateng Gyan admits voice is his but…

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National Organiser of NDC, Yaw Boateng Gyan The National Organiser of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Yaw Boateng Gyan, has admitted that the voice on a secretly recorded tape of a meeting between suspected NDC loyalists and a top party functionary scheming about the 2012 elections is indeed his. He however insists the conversation had nothing to do with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and also contained no diabolical plans for the December poll. The 35 minute tape, suspected to have been recorded during a meeting at an unknown location, has Mr Boateng Gyan telling the audience about the party’s plans to draft them into a Special Force whose members would later be given National Security identification cards to enable them to move freely and cause trouble in some parts of the country during the national elections. He noted that plans were far advanced by the party to issue the National Security ID cards to them, but the NDC was being careful due to the manner in which some of them behaved in public some time ago when the party engaged their services. According to the voice, the National Security office would, at the eleventh hour, complain about lack of staff to properly police the December poll, and the NDC would then quickly push the Special Force members into the National Security for training so that they could work for the party under the guise of being National Security operatives. The voice also charged them to find out the likely effects of the formation of the National Democratic Party (NDP), which had just received its provisional certificate from the Electoral Commission, on the chances of the NDC in the December 7 polls. The NDP was formed by disappointed or disgruntled former members of the NDC. Former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings is believed to be behind the formation of the party. However Mr Boateng Gyan, speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show on Wednesday September 5, 2012 insisted he did nothing wrong in seeking to find the likely effects of the formation of a new party on the NDC electoral chances. He also expressed doubt about the veracity of parts of the tape, suggesting it may have been doctored. “I am the National Organiser of a national party with two deputies, and we cannot be everywhere, so it is only natural that we have people who go out to gather information for us. Any party that does not have such a mechanism is not serious. “This was a conversation with such persons to find out those behind the formation of NDP and NDC persons who want to leave to the new party so we can approach them and talk to them to rescind their decision. Everybody knows the people who make up the NDP are all members of the NDC, and as a party we have to be concerned about people leaving our party. “The conversation was about NDP, which had just received provisional certificate, not NPP at all.” However, MP for Assin North, Kennedy Agyapong, insisted that the conversation, which was initially about the effects of the formation of the NDP, eventually developed into “dangerous” plans to create violence and chaos and link it to NPP flagbearer Nana Akufo-Addo’s call of “All die be die,” meant to encourage his party faithful but seen as others as a call to arms. Mr Agyapong also claimed the young men at the meeting, aware that the training and assignment they were being sent to was dangerous, asked for provision to be made for their wives and children in the event of their death. “There were also references to me and my lawyer Ayikoi Otoo and plans to deal with us” he alleged. However, Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan maintained his innocence, although he acknowledged that the two names were mentioned at the meeting. Kennedy Agyapong advised Mr Boateng Gyan to be mindful what he says when he meets with his party people, “because you may fall out with them and you don’t know who may be recording your conversation.” He hinted that he also had a secretly recorded tape of the late President Mills engaged in a damning, heated argument with an NDC member. The tape, he said, was sent to him by someone very close to the late president

Yaw Gyan’s statements worse than Kennedy Agyapong, arrest him – NDP

The acting General Secretary of the newly formed National Democratic Party (NDP) has piled further pressure on the embattled National Organiser of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) with a call on the security agencies to cause the arrest of Yaw Boateng Gyan for his ‘dangerous’ comments.

If the Police and other agencies fail to do so, it would be incumbent on President John Mahama to “order his arrest, set up a commission and demand answers,” Dr Mamboa Rockson has advocated.

Dr Rockson, who believes the NDC Organiser’s comments are ‘worse’ than those made by NPP MP for Assin North Kennedy Agyapong, made his demand when he spoke on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show hosted by Adakabre Frimpong Manso on Thursday September 6, 2012.

The NDP Secretary, who said he was “appalled and disheartened that such a person would make plans to destabilize the NDP”, was commenting on the contents of a 35 minute tape, suspected to have been recorded during a meeting at an unknown location.

Mr Boateng Gyan tells the audience about the party’s plans to draft them into a Special Force in the military whose members would later be given National Security identification cards to enable them to move freely and cause trouble in some parts of the country during the national elections.

There were also discussions on ways to link such violence and chaos to NPP flagbearer Nana Akufo-Addo’s call of “All die be die,” meant to encourage his party faithful but seen by others as a call to arms.

According to the voice, the National Security office would, at the eleventh hour, complain about lack of staff to properly police the December poll, and the NDC would then quickly push the Special Force members into the National Security for training so that they could work for the party under the guise of being National Security operatives.

The voice also charged them to find out the likely effects of the formation of the National Democratic Party (NDP), which had just received its provisional certificate from the Electoral Commission, on the chances of the NDC in the December 7 polls. The NDP was formed by disappointed or disgruntled former members of the NDC. Former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings is believed to be behind the formation of the party.

Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show on Wednesday September 5, 2012 Mr Gyan admitted the voice was his, but insisted he did nothing wrong in seeking to find the likely effects of the formation of a new party on the NDC’s electoral chances. He also expressed doubt about the veracity of parts of the tape, suggesting it may have been doctored.

Dr Mamboa Rockson wondered about the disconnect between the public calls for peace being made by officials of the NDC including the National Organiser, and their private plans for the nation. He was particularly troubled by the effect Mr Gyan’s statements would have in the international community about Ghana’s military and their allegiance to the state.

“Why will he (Boateng Gyan) use illegal structures? Why will he go and recruit soldiers and use them as hit-men for his party? What he is telling the whole world is that there are hit-men among our military, and they have allegiances and they are ready to take out people. He is telling us there are now hit-men roaming the whole country ready to take out officials of NDP.

“What he has done is illegal, criminal and he must answer. Others have said less things, and they took them to the cleaners. This is more than what Kennedy Agyapong said, but see what happened to him.

“One of our members, Owusu Bempah made a simple comment, and he was picked up by the police. A member of the NDC, Kofi Adams, his voice is suspected to be on a tape and they have suspended him; they have not given him a fair hearing.

“People have been talking about peace, and if a credible officer of the NDC can say this, with the clear intention of crippling a new political party, obstructing democracy, then he must be made to face the law. Such comments to the entire NDP is offensive, and he must be arrested immediately or called to police headquarters and questioned, and if found culpable, must face the law. If the police refuse, the President should order his arrest, set up a commission and demand answers.”

Also commenting, suspended Deputy NDC General Secretary Kofi Adams said the development “does not augur well for the security of our polls, especially the aspect where they say the EC doesn’t have enough personnel to supervise poll so they will rush in.

“It is different if you hear about a national recruitment exercise in the military and the rest and you help, but not when you are training people and giving them different identity.

“I believe the party will hold an emergency meeting to respond, because there are aspects of the issue that affect the party. I believe the state institutions are also preparing to come out.

Gbevlo Lartey: NDC Organiser to be investigated over leaked tape

Gbevlo Lartey

National Security Coordinator, Larry Gbevlo Lartey says he will invite persons connected with a leaked tape in which NDC National Organizer, Yaw Boateng Gyan is heard plotting to infiltrate the national security for electoral purposes.

Mr. Boateng Gyan intends to issue national security identity cards to NDC agents to enable them undertake operations on behalf of the ruling National Democratic Congress.

Mr Boateng Gyan who has admitted the voice on the leaked tape is his, cautioned some party agents he was addressing against misusing the IDs, saying such behavior in the past had been problematic for the party.

Colonel Gbevlo Lartey, reacting to the comments of the NDC National Organiser on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show Thursday, stated emphatically that at no point in time had his office issued national security IDs to any individual affiliated with any political party.

He said Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan’s assertions were false because “no such thing has been done in the past” and that the national security office was an office of the state and not an office of any political party.

“We have not issued any card to any party people, and we have had no such discussions any party people,” he added.

“We have enough hands to do the work that we have to do. We don’t need the assistance of the parties to do our work.”

Asked whether Mr Boateng Gyan will be investigated, Colonel Lartey noted: “…Definitely, once this has come out we are going to call people and question them and interrogate them…”

Prez Mahama must deal swiftly with Boateng Gyan – Dr. Bawumia

Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia

The Vice-Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has challenged President John Dramani Mahama to walk his talk by bringing the NDC National Organizer to order after the latter’s plan to infiltrate the nation’s security services was exposed.

According to Dr. Bawumia, the comments by Yaw Boateng Gyan have implications on the nation’s security and ought to be treated with all the seriousness it deserves.

Speaking to Citi News from the Brong Ahafo Region where he is currently campaigning, Dr. Bawumia stated that the NDC organizer’s comments serve as a test case for President Mahama’s resolve to ensuring peace in the upcoming elections.

“Anything that threatens peace and stability in this country should be dealt with,” Nana Akufo-Addo’s running mate said.

“I think this is just not talk, but action and as we are heading for elections I will like to see a very swift reaction by the President to bring to book Yaw Boateng Gyan for this statement and the people that he was conniving with to destabilize the security of this country.”

He added: “The President has said that he is committed to peace and I will like to see a demonstration of the sincerity of that commitment in dealing with this particular issue of plans to infiltrate the security to disturb the security of this nation.”

Mr. Boateng Gyan has admitted being the one speaking on the leaked tape, but insists he has no intention to derail the peace of Ghana.

The National Security Coordinator, Col. Gbevlo Lartey, has served notice his outfit will invite the NDC kingpin for questioning.

Gbevlo Lartey can’t investigate Boateng Gyan – Jake

Mr. Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey

The National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, is doubtful about the National Security Coordinator, Col. Larry Gbevlo Lartey’s, neutrality in investigating the National Organizer of the NDC since his office has been implicated in the leaked tape.

Col. Lartey on Thursday served notice to personally head the team that will question Yaw Boateng Gyan over comments on a leaked tap intended to recruit party members into the Special Forces of the Ghana Army.

Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey in an interview with Citi News said the Police would have done a better job.

He stated that “this is a straight forward police matter and not the National Security body that has already been implicated in the tape itself.”

According to Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey, the police are the first line of defense regarding our safety in this country and they should be empowered “to move against anybody, no matter how high or low in any political party.”

“The police refused to move in Chireponi, they refused to move in Agbogbloshie, they refused to move in Tamale, Atiwa and in Akwatia. All these places, the police have so far refused to move.”

He added: “The police are now telling us that they are setting up their intelligence capacity in advance of the general elections. Why would you want to set up an intelligence capacity when you don’t want to act on whatever it is that you find out when the thing is blatantly under your nose?” asked Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey.

He further stated that Mr. Boateng-Gyan’s comments need no intelligence capacity to access the tape “because you can get it from the radio stations that have been playing it.”

The NPP national chairman admonished the Police Service to “actually start taking some serious actions and show the people of Ghana that it will move no matter whose office is involved.”

By: Citifmonline.com/Ghana