Kofi Adams and two and his seized cars
It’s gradually turning out that some of the vehicles seized from the residence of the National Organizer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Kofi Adams, belong to the state.
According to Nana Obiri Boahen, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) deputy General Secretary, most of the vehicles were “stolen from government,” their chassis numbers changed and sold to Kofi Adams.
Reacting to reports that five vehicles taken away from the Tema residence of Kofi Adams by National Security operatives on Wednesday, February 1, Nana Obiri Boahen said most of the chassis numbers had been tampered with, to hide the true identities of the vehicles.
The National Security operatives with support of personnel from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), had gone to the Golf City residence of the NDC organizer and coordinator of John Mahama’s 2016 campaign and inspected two Toyota Land Cruisers and three pick-ups after which they allegedly drove them away.
National Security Minister, Albert Kan-Dapaah, was said to have directed that the vehicles be returned.
Kofi Adams, who claims to be in Dubai for a private transaction, is threatening to take legal action when he returns to the country.
But Nana Obiri Boahen on Asempa FM’s ‘Ekosii Sen’ programme yesterday, called the bluff of the NDC man, daring him to go to court.
Obiri Boahen stated that the chassis number of one of the V8 Land Cruisers with registration number GM 843-15, was changed before it was transferred to Kofi Adams.
“I’m telling you authoritatively that Kofi Adams’s car is a Government of Ghana vehicle. It was stolen and sold,” he fumed.
The NPP Deputy General Secretary said the members of the Mahama-led administration have stolen more than 100 vehicles belonging to the state.
He also bemoaned how the National Security office is handling the matter, especially when there is “clear evidence” the vehicles were stolen.
“We are aggrieved and dissatisfied with how the National Security is handling the matter, that is why I have come public,” he asserted.
Nana Obiri Boahen has vowed to pursue the case to ensure that all cars belonging to the state which have been stolen by NDC members and officials were returned.
DAILY GUIDE has learnt that some officials of DVLA are assisting appointees of the NDC admnitration to change state vehicles into their names secretly and that is what is causing the tension.
National Security Minister
The NDC organiser had earlier lauded National Security Minister, Albert Kan-Dapaah, for the professional manner in which he handled his vehicles seizure issue.
“I think I must commend the National Security Minister, Mr Kan-Dapaah for his intervention in this matter. He did call to indicate that it wasn’t something that was sanctioned officially, and, so, they have been instructed that they return the vehicles immediately,” Kofi Adams told pro-NDC radio station – Radio Gold – in Accra yesterday.
The seizure generated heated debate as the NDC sought to blame the NPP government for employing intimidating tactics against them – a charge the NPP has continuously parried.
Mahama’s Post
The issues heightened when former President John Mahama waded into the discussion and sought to condemn the NPP government on social media.
“The unprovoked attacks on NDC functionaries and supporters are needless and must end. Yesterday, the National Organiser of the NDC’s residence was invaded by security men from the seat of government, the Flagstaff House, in his absence, in search of vehicles when they knew very well they were on the wrong path. This must end,” Mr Mahama said in a post.
However, Kofi Adams, who failed to ensure Mahama’s re-election in the 2016 general election, confirmed that the minister telephoned him personally and assured him that the vehicles were going to be returned.
“It is true that he spoke to me and I want to thank him. I think that is the way to go. He has assured that the appropriate punishment will be given to the officer who led that operation without authorization,” Kofi Adams said.
Recounting how the alleged seizure happened, Mr. Adams stated that before he travelled to the UAE last Sunday, six officials claiming to be operatives of National Security visited his home on Saturday in his absence.
According to him, the supposed National Security personnel wanted to seize his cars but he managed to stop them immediately he was informed, while at a funeral ground.
He pointed out that his checks later confirmed that the men were not ordered to carry out the act by the National Security Minister.
Nevertheless, the NDC National Organiser explained further that he received a call while in Dubai, indicating that the same six men, with others, had returned to seize his five vehicles on Wednesday.
Mr. Adams explained, “I had to travel to Dubai for the function so I left Ghana on Sunday, only to receive a call that 16 military persons and some police officers together with four of the six who came the last time and a DVLA officer with a machine, got into the yard, and insisted on getting the vehicles out. The DVLA official had a system that could check the genuineness of the registration when you enter the number of the vehicle; he did so according to the young man (caretaker) who was at home then, and everything clearly indicated that these were vehicles that had been properly registered and did not even belong to the state.
“So the advice was that they needed to go back, but it looks as if the taste for seizing vehicles was so high, so they insisted the young man must bring the keys for them to do a test on a particular one. He told them he won’t do that; but one of them used the rear side of his AK-47 to hit him, and so he was frightened. Once he was walking into the room to pick the keys, they followed him forcefully, and while he was picking the keys, they picked the other keys and tried each car to find out which one fitted and drove everything away,” he claimed.
Before confirming the conversation he had with Mr. Kan Dapaah, the NDC organizer said on Class FM in Accra that “I consider those who invaded my house as robbers and thieves.”
Cheeky Answers
In the ensuing confusion, Kofi Adams told Citi FM in Accra that the cars were all registered in his name and said cheekily that Ghanaians should be interested in the unlawful manner the vehicles were seized instead of looking at how he got money to buy them.
When he was specifically asked whether he purchased the cars himself, he said, “Is the purchase of the vehicle also in any argument now? Richard; is that why you called me? Are we contesting the purchase of the vehicles?
“I am the owner of the two Land Cruisers and a pick-up. They are registered in my name. If something is registered in your name don’t you own it? I just want to cut a long story short by letting you know that everything is mine because they are not all registered in anybody’s name. They are not registered in anybody’s name or it’s not as if I bought them for anyone to register them.”
Kofi Adams said in his capacity as a national officer of the NDC, he had the capacity to acquire five personal vehicles.
By William Yaw Owusu & Vincent Kubi, Tema