The New Patriotic Party (NPP), the party in power, has ordered its members to desist from criticizing the personality of the Dormahene, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, who is in charge of defending and projecting the policies and programs of the current administration. This follows the respected chief’s request to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Attorney General Godfred Dame to end the criminal case against James Gyakye Quayson, the newly elected Member of Parliament for Assin North. The Dormaahene requested the President to intercede in the prosecution as the Attorney General and Minister for Justice filed a nolle prosequi during his remarks at the Prof. John Evan Atta Mills 10th Anniversary Lecture. The High Court in Accra is now hearing the perjury case against James Gyakye Quayson. In the lead-up to the 2020 Assin North parliamentary election, he is being accused of forgery and perjury about a number of alleged offenses. He has entered a not guilty plea to five counts of forging a passport or travel document, making a false statutory declaration intentionally, lying under oath, and making a false declaration for office. According to the prosecution, when Mr. Quayson sought for a Ghanaian passport, he falsely claimed to the Passport Office that he didn’t have a passport for another nation. In addition, the prosecution claims that Mr. Quayson lied to the Electoral Commission (EC) when he declared his intention to run for the Assin North seat in 2020, claiming that he owed no allegiance to any foreign nation. However, the Dormaahene made an appeal to the A-G to remove the criminal proceedings against Quayson while addressing at the Bono, Bono East, Ahafo, and Western North regional edition of the Professor John Evans Atta Mills Commemorative Lecture in Sunyani on Saturday, July 1, 2023. “As a matter of urgency, I [Dormaahene] am appealing to the President of the Republic [Akufo-Addo], if he has any role to play, that trial should be aborted, and the Attorney-General should as a matter of urgency file a Nolle Prosequi to end that particular decision” and abort the criminal case against Mr. Quayson,” the Dormaahene stated. After the chiefs and residents of the Assin North constituency chose Quayson to serve as their MP once again, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II stated that it was pointless for the AG to continue the case, adding that doing so would be an insult to Ghanaians and the residents of Assin North. “I say this because if we pursue this case further, we will be disparaging Ghanaians in general and the Assin North residents in particular. I fail to see how continuing the prosecution would be advantageous to the nation. Gyakye Quayson has been re-elected, but how can he serve his constituents successfully if he is hauled before the court? How can he be held accountable if he isn’t allowed to contribute to the creation of sound laws that will assure the advancement of the nation? I’m making a plea to the President from this plane, and while you already know how much I love you, this situation simply cannot continue. You are a Bono native, so please review your laws and take another look at this case, Attorney General. “The man John Evans Atta Mills – 10 years on” was the topic of the open lecture. The late Professor Mills was praised by many speakers at the lecture for being a peacemaker, unifier, truthful, God-fearing man, humble, tolerant, listener, patient, and unselfish, among other qualities. A 24-book page called “Atta Mills Speaks to the World” was launched as part of the presentation. During his tenure as President of the United Nations, Prof. Mills delivered speeches at the 64th, 65th, and 66th General Assemblies, which were all recorded in the book. 03.07.2023 NPP communicators speaking note The New Patriotic Party’s communication directorate has instructed their communicators to respect the Dormaahene’s legal opinions even if they disagree with them in light of the controversy that has resulted from his presentation. According to a speaking note distributed by the party via its communication channels on July 3, 2023: “Communicators shouldn’t criticize the Chief’s personality, but we don’t agree with his request that the President meddle with the judiciary’s independence. 2. It will be wiser to let the case proceed according to its natural course in the interest of equality before the law and the independence of the court. 3. If it becomes evident that the prosecution lacks the evidence to proceed with the case, it may decide whether or not to submit a nolle prosequi. 4. Communicators should encourage Ghanaians to support the courts’ independence in their work.
, the party in power, has ordered its members to desist from criticizing the personality of the Dormahene.){kind=link}