Naagyei 90.3 Fm Agyapa
Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, says the President is still studying a report of the Justice Emile Short Commission which investigated the bloody Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election in Accra.
He told sister station, Starr 103.5 FM that Mr. Akufo-Addo is still within the law, holding on to the report a month after it was submitted to him by the Committee.
“If he’s supposed to publish the report, the constitution gives him a period of six months within which to do so. As I said the president is still studying the recommendations and the findings of the entire report and once he’s ready to make a decision as to whether to publish it or not, I’m sure the Ghanaian people will know about it.”
This comes on the back of EIB Network’s interception of the report submitted to the President which aspects of it was published on Friday.
The by-partisan committee in its report has recommended to the President some austerity measures to be taken against key government functionaries, and agencies indicted in the report including disbandment, prosecution and sanctions.
Already, there is pressure from Civil Society Organizations(CSOs) demanding that a white paper be issued on the report.
Also the main opposition NDC says the non-publication of the report is a “blatant disregard for the principles of transparency.”
But Arhin has maintained that the President will not be stampeded to release the Emile Short Commission report.
“There are two options the constitution of the Republic gives the President, anytime a report of such nature is brought to him. So what I can say is that the President will not be stampeded into making any decision now. He has to satisfy himself first with respect to the decision he wants to take.Once that decision is taken, we’ll definitely let the Ghanaian people know.”
