The Voice Is Doctored – Says Osafo-Maafo

Yaw Osafo-Maafo
Yaw Osafo-Maafo, former Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, has described the tape recording of his remarks at a meeting in Koforidua as doctored and mischievous.

In a statement issued by his office following the playing of the recording by some radio stations apparently to cause mischief, the former minister in the Kufuor administration and Member of Parliament (MP) for Oda pointed out that the meeting held in the Eastern Regional capital dealt with the state of the economy, political strategy and on political and economic empowerment.

These, he said, have been doctored to contain ethnocentric remarks and as he put it, ‘advocating tribal sentiments, trying to create the impression that he is a tribalist.’

A tape recording leaked to the media by operatives of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) had              Osafo-Maafo allegedly saying he did not understand why only five regions should be endowed with all the country’s wealth and yet persons outside those regions are governing the country and controlling those resources.

But he has denied making the comments. In a three-point statement, Mr Osafo-Maafo said “The alleged tape purported to be [my] voice has been doctored, mischievously re-arranged and pieced together, using modern technology, to create a false impression.

“This meeting took place on 29 th  January, but this concoction has been mischievously released to coincide with and try to overshadow the recent successful ‘Won gbo’ demonstration of 18 th  February.

“The release of this doctored tape is a desperate attempt to divert the attention of Ghanaians from  REAL  problems facing Ghana – widespread corruption, rising levels of unemployment, economic hardships and mismanagement of the economy,’ he said.

The statement pointed out that in all his public life he had striven to do what is right for Ghana and not for any sectional interest.

He noted, ‘This concoction has been mischievously released to coincide with and try to overshadow the recent successful ‘Won gbo’ demonstration of 18 th February.’