GHANAIANS last Monday woke up to another defection story on our political landscape and the man at the centre of the latest event is Mallam Yusuf Isa, a former Minister of Youth and Sports in the Kufuor administration who was jailed for causing financial loss to the state.
Ordinarily, such a development should not raise eyebrows because many people have become used to the ‘politricks’ of our times, especially as the D-day for the elections fast approaches.
However, in the statement he read to the press announcing his decision to defect to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mallam Isa said certain things that cannot be swept under the carpet.
Hear him: “I am meeting you today to correct an erroneous impression created by the NPP government and its cohorts that I, Mallam Isa, stole and wilfully caused financial loss to the state while serving in the Kufuor administration. I have to do so especially because recent events have confirmed my long-held position that the NPP fraternity SET ME UP.” (caps ours)
The DAILY GRAPHIC is fully aware that under the tenets of the 1992 Constitution, freedom of movement and association is fully guaranteed. Mallam Isa, therefore, has every right under the sun to associate with any political party of his choice. That is his inalienable right.
But, for goodness sake, in so doing he must not insult the sensibilities of Ghanaians by propagating falsehood, untruth, fiction and plain lies. He must appreciate that in all things, comment is free but facts are always sacred.
Were we all not in this country barely seven years ago when Mallam Isa was found guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction for causing financial loss of $46,000 meant as imprest and payment of the bonuses of members of the senior national team, the Black Stars, during a World Cup qualifying match in The Sudan on February 25, 2001?
A year later — on April 2, 2002 — did Mallam Isa not get the opportunity to appeal against his conviction, only for him to lose again? So why is he being economical with the truth? Or has he, so soon, forgotten the facts of the case?
After the players and some officials had left for The Sudan, it was agreed that Mallam Isa should send the money for the payment of per diem and imprest when it was released. He said the release of the money had been processed on February 23 and Mr James Piimi, the Principal Accountant, had given it to the ex-minister. The money was in three parcels of $46,000 for the winning bonus and imprest, $8,686 for per diem and $1,042 per diem for the ex-minister himself.
Pleading for bail, Alhaji Nuhu-Billa, counsel for Mallam Isa, said he accepted the charge of fraudulently causing financial loss to the state, adding, "We are prepared to mobilise funds to pay back."
In our desperation to score cheap political points, let us not belittle the intelligence of Ghanaians by throwing the basic rule of truth, justice and fair play to the dogs.
Nobody is interested in raking old wounds, but as a responsible newspaper we cannot turn a blind eye when facts are being twisted on the altar of political expediency.
For now, we advise Mallam Isa to give discerning Ghanaians a break.
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