Ghana: VP's Office Dismisses Bugging Rumor

From: James M. Atkinson <jm..._at_tscm.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 21:57:17 -0500

If VOA first broke the news of the bugging themn I can count on three
fingers who was behind said bugging.

-jma




http://voanews.com/english/Africa/2007-01-19-voa5.cfm

Ghana: VP's Office Dismisses Bugging Rumor
By Peter Clottey
Washington,D.C.
19 January 2007


In Ghana, the alleged bugging of the vice president's office is
generating controversy. Aides to Vice President Aliu Mahama have
dismissed the surveillance reports as false. But an article published
in an independent newspaper claims the discovery of sophisticated
bugging gadgets in the vice president's office at the castle in Osu,
a suburb of the capital Accra. Mahama supporters say the alleged
report is a calculated attempt to tarnish the solid reputation of the
vice president.

Yaw Asamoah is the special aide to Vice President Aliu Mahama. He
said investigation is underway about the alleged bugging of the vice
President's office.

"Indeed the first time the vice president's office got to know about
this was when the reporter called to inquire before the publication
and I did tell the reporter that we were completely unaware of any
such situation. But then the report has come out that this alleged
bugging is taking place and we have subsequently have referred it to
the national security to investigate the truth or otherwise," he said.

Asamoah said the vice president's office referred the alleged bugging
to the security agencies to find out who might be behind the bugging
or the rumor.

"It is a national security matter. Without establishing the truth or
otherwise of it we can't purport to speculate or even attempt to
speculate on the source or otherwise. But once we have a clear
credible source, and we know that it is indeed the truth or
otherwise, we can take subsequent steps," He said.

Asamoah said the vice president's office does not know who is making
the allegations about the bugging.

"For now, we would rather not want to move beyond the needed story
because so far as we are concerned the story is not true. Because we
are in that office and no such incidence has happened, and it's being
alleged that it happened from the media. So the least we can do since
the office is a security zone is to have the proper security report
established. Beyond that at this stage, we would not speculate,"
Asamoah, noted.

He said the minister for national security has been called upon to
begin the investigation into the alleged bugging.

"This morning by 10:00AM, the minister of national security had
already moved to initiate the process of seeking the truth out," he added.

Asamoah said the vice president's office would know what next to do
after the conclusion of the investigation.

"What next would depend on the results of the investigation. It could
well turn out to be a mere rumor. Because we really need to find out
the source and whether the equipment is there as the newspaper
alleges, if the office is swept with the appropriate equipment and
nothing is found, it means it ends there," he said.

Asamoah said though the newspaper report is false, it had created
some panicky situation in the country.

"The story creates the impression something has happened which has
set everybody off in a panic. But in reality I'm not privy to any
such thing having happened. The sources, whatever sources they are
would have to be more credible than at the moment, I believe,' he said.




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