Ghana's Deputy Communications Minister Victoria Hammah is sacked......

My Joy Online
Title: Victoria Hammah caught on leaked tape; hopes to make $1m before leaving politics
Dated: 8/11/13

 A plethora of media reports are quoting Deputy Communications Minister Victoria Hammah as having made serious allegations and embarrassing comments on a leaked tape which has gone viral.
 
The voice on the tape purported to be that of Ms. Hammah, is engaged in a gossip with another lady with whom she appeared to be travelling.
 
The conversation ranged from political maneuverings, financial aspirations, intraparty lobbying, creation of ministerial portfolios purposely to create jobs for people to weightings in the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).
 
 It all started with a discussion of the frosty relationship between Deputy Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Rachel Appoh, and the minister, Nana Oye Lithur.
 
“Why did she fight with the minister? That is the point; some people and ambition; people do not just bide their time…she thinks Oye Lithur is not giving her the chance to shine but in the Constitution there is no role for Deputy Minister. Rachel, I have spoken with but…how can you fight Oye Lithur”? the voice stated.
 
The speaker expressed surprise that Rachel Appoh was risking her appointment as a Deputy Minister by fighting her boss, especially given that “she cannot boast of 100,000 Ghana cedis or 100,000 dollars” in her personal account yet.

“…I told Rachel that I really understand politics...I will not quit politics until I make one million dollars. If you have money then you can control people”.
 
"My appointment was solid way back. So, what does it tell you? That even in terms of influence, I’ve more influence than you Rachel. Even you who won your seat, they have crammed you, two, in the Gender Ministry. And you won’t seek wisdom.
 
The moment you lose your Ministerial job, you lose your might and influence. Then you become unpopular in your constituency. When somebody contests against you, you see that your place is in trouble. Then you’ll be done, you’re finished.

 She complained that many young people were ambitious but lacked tact and the political acumen to make the right decisions.
 
“The point is that a lot of us young people, people are ambitious and meanwhile they don’t read and they are not politically astute; before you fire any ammunition you must see whether your opponent has equal or more. You, you have no any pedigree; your father is a constituency chairman in NPP, then you want to fight a woman that her appointment elicited attacks from the Presby Church and all that yet the president went ahead to confirm her!
 
The voice, believed to that of Ms Hammah claimed “You must look at the motivation for you appointment first; She has the public anyway; Rahel appears to be Pentecostal but she is deadly, me I know her; she appears she is decent in public; that is the public perception about her but she has dated men in the party; I have not dated anybody in the party.”

The conversation rambled on and the voice is heard extolling the virtues of the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur.
 
“Oye Lithur issued one statement which made you appear that you are unintelligent. I asked her, Rahel, you and Oye Lithur who do[es] the Ghanaian public believe is unintelligent? She said, her; I said yes [but] not just you, you Sena and myself, the Ghanaian public believe that we are unintelligent; so you cannot fight your boss, she will use that intellectuality (intelligence) against you,” the female voice said.
 
It added that “I learnt even before the verdict (on election petition), Nana was with the justices and all that; you don’t know the role she has played even for us to win the court case, then you want to use your unintelligence to overthrow her.”
 
"You want to fight Oye Lithur. Tony Lithur controls three Ministries. That Rachel is not wise…Tony Lithur has been the friend of the Rawlingses, been a friend to the President John, now and his wife. I learnt even before even the verdict, Nana (Oye Lithur) was with the Justices and all that. You don’t know the role she has played for us to win the court case. Then, you want to use your lack of intelligence to push her out...

"Tony Lithur and John Mahama, they’ve got an alliance. They are allies, you understand. They defend each other. Rachel, who do you have?"

Source: http://www.myjoyonline.com/politics/2013/November-8th/victoria-hammah-caught-on-leaked-tape-hopes-to-make-1m-before-leaving-politics.php




GhanaWeb
Title: Victoria Hammah was not qualified to be a minister – Kwesi Pratt
Dated: 9/11/13

Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr. has questioned the basis for the appointment of the dismissed deputy Minister of Communications, Victoria Hammah.

He said Ms. Hammah was not qualified to be a minister in the first place.

Miss Hammah was relieved of her post Friday after she was heard on a secret tape recording saying she hoped to make US$1 million in politics.

She also made damming allegations against government and harshly criticised a colleague deputy minister at the Gender, Children and Social protection minister, Rachael Appoh for courting bad press for her boss, Nana Oye Lithur.

Even though government has not linked her dismissal to the leaked tape, Kwesi Pratt believes her sacking was long over due.

“This woman is a beneficiary of the mess at the presidency; she should have been sacked a long time ago” he told Accra-based Radio Gold.

According to him, Victoria Hammah’s “grievous statements” has done an irreparable damage to the Mahama-led administration.

"This is a minister who goes to give a public speech; she leaves her office with her speech in her hand, goes to the function and takes her seat. There is opening prayer, introduction of chairman and all of that [but] only gets to the microphone and realizes that there is a wrong speech in her hand after she had started reading. Is she qualified to be a minister? She should have been dismissed at that time not now” he stressed.

The Insight Editor said “It is a big mess! This deputy minister has caused an irreparable damage to the government. The gravity of what she has said is serious; I am frightened”.

Kwesi Pratt said the police erred in arresting the driver who is alleged to have recorded the private conversation because “he (driver) was protecting the Constitution”.

“The 1992 Constitution enjoins every citizen of Ghana to take every possible action to protect the state so let us assume that the driver recorded her, was he not acting in defence of the constitution when there are clear allegations of abuse of constitutional rights? YES” he exclaimed.

Source: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=291496




Peace FM
Title: Sacking Victoria Hammah Ain’t Enough…Freeze Her Assets!!!
Dated: 9/11/13

Aspiring NPP National Youth Organizer, John Boadu has called on government to freeze the assets of the former Deputy Communications Minister, Victoria Hammah, who was caught on tape making some damning revelations about the operations of some government officials. According to him, her assets must be frozen to show the current administration’s commitment to finding a lasting solution to the recent acts of corruption within government. A voice purported to be that of Ms. Hammah was heard on tape expressing disgust over the misconduct of her colleague Deputy Minister of Gender, Children and Social Welfare Rachel Appoh. Rachel Appoh recently made the news headlines for picking a bone of contention with her boss (Nana Oye Lithur). Nana Oye Lithur was reported to have threatened to arrest her Deputy over her decision to give an 18-month old baby girl to some foster parents after discovering that her mother was mentally deranged. The decision did not sink well into the heart of Nana Oye Lithur, who in turn gave her (Rachel) a 24-hour ultimatum to return the baby. In the wake of such hostile relationship between the two Ministers, Victoria Hammah who also decided to air her views on the issue in a conversation with a female friend, expressed worry over the conduct of her colleague Deputy Minister. According to her, Rachel is "senseless, ugly and deadly" and that she should play her cards well if she wants to remain in office. Ms Hammah also wished to make a million dollar fortune in her political career. "You want to fight Oye Lithur. Tony Lithur controls three Ministries. That Rachel is not wise…Tony Lithur has been the friend of the Rawlingses, been a friend to the President John, now and his wife. I learnt even before even the verdict, Nana (Oye Lithur) was with the Justices and all that. You don’t know the role she has played for us to win the court case. Then, you want to use your lack of intelligence to push her out...Tony Lithur and John Mahama, they’ve got an alliance. They are allies, you understand. They defend each other. Rachel, who do you have? "...I understand politics very well. If I haven't made a million dollars I wouldn't go and attack people. If you have money, then you can control people.” Following these revelations by the former Deputy Communications Minister, the Information Ministry in a terse press release announced her dismissal from government. "His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama has relieved Ms. Victoria Hammah, Deputy Minister of Communication of her post as Deputy Minister," the statement signed by the Information Minister, Hon. Mahama Ayariga, read. But to John Boadu, sacking her is not enough. He believed the Deputy Communications Minister has been in office for several months since her appointment and might have already began the process of amassing the $1m wealth she talked of in the leaked tape and deserves to be thoroughly investigated. “If seriously, the government wants to deal with it; they should freeze her assets now. Because she’s has been in power for about three or four months…enough time to start the $1m project…," he said. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com Credit: http://elections.peacefmonline.com/politics/201311/179874.php

The BBC
Title: Ghana's Victoria Hammah sacked over $1m claim
Dated: 8/11/13

Victoria Hammah has previously said she was under pressure to steal public money

 

Ghana's Deputy Communications Minister Victoria Hammah has been sacked after she was recorded allegedly saying she would stay in politics until she has made $1m (£600,000).

"If you have money then you can control people," she seems to say on the tape which has been widely circulated.

Ms Hammah has not yet commented on the tape or her sacking.

The BBC's Sammy Darko in Accra says she played a key role in President John Mahama's election last year.

Some pundits will feel vindicated over her sacking, as they warned that she was too young and inexperienced to serve in government, our correspondent says.

In August, she said there was a lot of pressure on her to steal public money because people thought that, as a minister, she was rich.

She described such demands as "obnoxious", reports the Ghanaweb news site.

"Corrupt politicians are the reflection of [a] corrupt society!" it quotes her as saying.

Ms Hammah first came to the public attention after stumbling several times while making a speech and then saying she had been given the wrong text.

On the tape, which has not been independently verified, she says: "I will not quit politics until I make one million dollars."

She also criticising another deputy minister, calling her "senseless, ugly, loud and egoistic".

Information Minister Mahama Ayariga did not give any reason for Ms Hammah's dismissal in her one-sentence announcement.

But it comes 24 hours after the tape went viral on social media and was played on a local radio station.

Her driver has been questioned by the police, after she lodged a complaint, saying her right to privacy had been infringed.

Police spokesman Freeman Tetttey told the BBC they were investigating whether an offence had been committed.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-24864436



Paulina says: It never ceases to amaze me that Ghana... a nation known for producing some of the most celebrated, world renowned movers & shakers, intellectuals, academics and uber professors of industry, -never seems to seek advice/use these aforementioned professionals to run Ghana; but are only to happy to elect one wide-boy-banker-after another, one former beauty queen after another or sex-expert-Hindu-goddesses to positions way beyond them in the name of a 'better Ghana'.......... I just don't get it.... do you? I just don't know how they get these political positions -do you?

I remember the days of.......loosely translated' Bring your arse and come and get a golf car' pol-tricks.... but surly we have moved on, and on, on from that regime????

Anyway....another day and another moral panic has hit the people's Republic of Ghana, and former Deputy Communications Minister Victoria Hammah has been sacked......


In a surprising turn of events Ghana's very own underground spiritual games world of poli-tricks has unravelled putting the usual talk of corruption and down graded economy to the back burners, instead---a leaked recording of Ghana's former Deputy Communications Minister Victoria Hammah expressing herself has become BIG News du jour!!!!!

The 'delicate 'recording which went viral yesterday ....makes known Victoria Hammah's financial and errrm political ambitions --namely her desire to make/attain/beget/betake $1m (£600,000) before she leaves office (mercy) so that she can control people (mercy), and her true thoughts about her fellow political buddies (?????) namely one Deputy Minister of Gender, Children and Social Welfare Rachel Appoh and more importantly just how powerful Tony Lithur and his wife, Ghana's Minister of Gender, Children and Social Welfare Nana Oye Lithur-are....and the possible role they may or may not have played in the 'Pink Paper' election petition thingy.....

Still its important to point out that everybody is entitled to privacy and that recording people without their knowledge/consent is a no, no ....but and this is a BIG BUT, Ms Victoria Hammah was in public office, part of a government struggling with corruption, bad economical practises and all sorts (wink, wink) and unfortunately ones relationship with the public purse and how one conducts ones self matters ---and if anything....... I feel that whoever recorded her has done Ghana a huge favour....only goodness knows if she amassed any of the 'million' she covets.. Surly that would have been a million destined for the poor struggling people of Ghana or am I fooling myself???

I'm only sorry that the three 'Amigos' in the Republic of Ghana's government that I really want to know better(mercy), those three intriguing men that I really desire to know if they are for real or not (you know the ones I mean, I can just see that 'little' boy's eyes bulging out of his head as he down plays the economy), ---if they have Ghana's interest at heart or not (I can just see that one with his 'loose' mouth asking for more loans can't you) ---weren't recorded!!!

Anyway I'll leave it there....but you get the feeling that this isn't all, that ........this is just the tip of the iceberg and that there's a much bigger picture...being painted.

Note........ if Ms Hammah hadn't said some of the things she said ...I would have said that she was set-up by Ghana's BIG BOYS CLUB.... but...................as she said stuff that's soooo *&@$* about Ghana's political dealings and her want of monies --I guess she had to go.......?????

Please note.... I've learnt many things in the past five years but the NUMBER ONE lesson is that from Ghana to Nigeria, African governmentsssss know how to get rid/scapegoat their female politicians faster than their male counterparts....so I'm going to keep my Ghana Rising eyes on this evolving story and keep you posted...