Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament for North Tongu and Chairman of the Office of Research and Legislative Affairs (ORAL) team, has fired back at Alexander Afenyo-Markin over comments regarding the operations of ORAL.
During the dissolution of the 8th Parliament, the former Majority Leader described ORAL’s activities as a “witch-hunt” and alleged that its investigations are driven by personal vendetta. He also rallied members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) with the mantra, “Touch one, touch all,” signaling their readiness to defend against perceived attacks on their members.
In response, Ablakwa dismissed the accusations, questioning why any lawmaker or individual would be concerned about ORAL’s investigations unless they were guilty of misappropriating public resources. “If you haven’t stolen anything that belongs to the people, why worry about ORAL?” he asked, defending the integrity and purpose of the team.
Ablakwa further refuted claims linking him to a circulating image of Chinese nationals at the fire-ravaged Kantamanto Market. He clarified that the individuals were representatives of Sinostone Ethanol Manufacturing Company, which had absorbed 97 NABCO personnel through his negotiations after the government dissolved the NABCO program.
He took a swipe at what he described as the “NPP’s Fake News Factory,” accusing its operatives of fabricating stories to tarnish his reputation. According to him, these attempts to smear his image are baseless and have failed to gain traction.
The North Tongu MP reaffirmed his commitment to transparency and accountability, emphasizing that ORAL’s mandate is solely to investigate and expose wrongdoing to safeguard public resources. He called on his critics to focus on supporting initiatives that promote good governance rather than undermining efforts to ensure accountability.
The exchange highlights the growing political tension as Ghana transitions into the 9th Parliament. Ablakwa’s resolute stance sets the tone for ORAL’s future operations, as the team continues to scrutinize activities to protect the public interest.
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