<<Print>>

Suspended General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Kofi Adams, has dismissed media reports that he is a beneficiary of a 10 billion cedi Government of Ghana contract. The Herald newspaper, on Monday, May 21, published a story with the screaming headline: �Kofi Adams Betrays Rawlings�As He Grabs �10 Billion Government Contracts�. According to the publication, �details from the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND) have confirmed that Kofi Adams has betrayed the moral high ground of the former family by secretly using their names to secure huge government contracts for sale�. The Herald newspaper further claimed Kofi Adams is the beneficiary of four projects to eradicate schools under trees in communities like Birim Central (Eastern Region), North Tongu (Volta Region), Tema, (Greater Accra Region) and Ajumako-Enyam � Esiam (Central Region). The publication was in obvious reaction to the latest former President Rawlings� outburst that government and national executive of the NDC have lost the enviable political morality of the party. According to Mr Rawlings, the NDC is now battling with two opponents, the traitor and the perceived enemy � of which he claimed the traitor has made it very difficult for them [Rawlingses] to reclaim the party. His remarks did not go down well with the Mills�-led NDC government as some members within the current administration openly disagreed with his assertions and rather called upon him to look no further than within his own office for those he describes as �greedy bastards� and �traitors�. Speaking to the issue, Kofi Adams stridently denied the contents of the publication which he described as �lies�, and pointed out to his accusers that if their intention is to destroy his image, �it will not work�. Offering explanations as to how come his name appeared on a GETFUND sheet as a beneficiary of a government contract, the suspended NDC deputy general secretary who also speaks for the Rawlingses, said government informed the national executives of the party to submit names of areas where schools under trees existed so that it can be eradicated. He said he therefore got in touch with the District Chief Executive of Ajumako; where he resided and even started his political career, to submit list of communities where schools under trees exist. �I couldn�t have gone lobbying for anything, the information was brought to our doorsteps that this is what is going to happen and so if you know of any community, submit the names. So how will I go to various communities, lobbying for names? The (national) executives of the party were told that government wants to eradicate schools under trees so we should help in submitting names of various communities so that they can be eradicated�.People just want to accuse me wrongly because they know I stand for the truth. It will not work with me. Nobody can attempt to destroy me�I have not gone for any contract in the name of former President Rawlings and Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings�� Kofi Adams told Kwami Sefa-Kayi in an interview on Peace FM�s �Kokrokoo� Morning Show. According to him, when the names were submitted to him, he forwarded it to the GETFUND secretariat. �All I did was to submit those names to the GETFUND Secretariat. As to who the contract was awarded to I have nothing to do with that. I have checked from the GETFUND Secretariat and they told me that they don�t award contracts to individuals�so how on earth can GETFUND be awarding me contracts? I am surprised that the newspaper is mentioning my name to be the beneficiary of these projects because I have cross-checked from GETFUND and they claim not to have such records�I have also not signed any list to be submitted to GETFUND for any scholarship (to be given to any student)�; those Science and Mathematics scholarships that are usually given to students; they brought a form to the party headquarters and Kofi Adams didn�t even fill any (of those forms) so I don�t know where all these lies are coming from,� he added.