Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has justified the controversial comments by the senior minister, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, which many say, suggested the trial of ‘galamsey queen’, Aisha Huang, was compromised to save Ghana’s bilateral relations with China.
Yaw Osafo Maafo, while addressing a town hall in the US, had said jailing the Chinese national, who was standing trial for illegal mining, would not have made either Ghanaians or the government happy because it would not have solved Ghana’s economic problems.
Senior Minister [R] and the Aisha Huang [L]
He noted the two countries had good relations and that when issues of Aisha’s kind come up “a lot goes on in the background”.
Critics have consequently chastised the government for letting go a Chinese ‘criminal’ for favours in the form of deals like the Sinohydro, which the senior minister cited as one of the deals the two countries have reached.
But the Effutu MP contends the comments by the senior minister was taken out of context as can sometimes happen in communication.
“Sometimes in communication, the media pick you out of context or sometimes in making a point it could be misconstrued”, the MP said on TV3 New Day Tuesday.
He argued Osafo-Maafo never said the government did not want to prosecute Aisha because of the Sinohydro deal.
According to him Osafo-Maafo meant to say that it was not in the interest of Ghanaians for the government to waste time prosecuting Aisha instead of growing the economy.
“Osafo-Maafo was saying that us focus on relationships and focus on matters that will put food on our table, than to get into petty issues”, he said, claiming the message was clear enough for all to appreciate.
He added that the “behind the scenes” dealings the senior minister was talking about had nothing to do with the $2 billion Sinohydro deal for which Aisha Huang’s case could be linked to.
Source: 3news.com
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Markins don't put your reputation and political future on the line for Integrity less Osafo Marfo
Well said Markins, we the elites are wise and will not jump into the propaganda of the NDC.
Lawyer , in fact you are too good In this country many people sense of judgement is completely warped. NDC and their cohorts would jump on any straw. NDC please grow and direct your members to think with big brains instead of this comic reliefs you have been engaging yourself in
This NDC will waste everyone's time including the devils time. Why didn't the NDC send the so-called mercenaries from South Africa to jail but rather deported them? the charges proffered against them was proper treasonable charges for Christ sake? the propaganda and the incompetence is getting out of hand now!
This Afenyo Markin guy thinks he is a repository of knowledge when it comes to matters of law. He is so much full of himself and always offends sensibilities. How can you say issues of gallamsey , which has destroyed our environment and and rendered families umemployed petty. Is is because you depend on our tax money to feed yourself, you dont care about others. Do you have a sense of moarality. You have destroyed UCEW because of your evil nature and now the instituition is led by a priest who is so much of vendetta
Kwamena Markin just keep queit with this shameful defense..ah what do u take us for ahhhh
Very disappointed to hear this from a lawyer of such stature. Wow, to justify this comment is unfortunate, to say the least. Afenyo-Markin, please listen, Justice free one's mind, gives you confidence and cannot be quantify in monetary terms. Perhaps Afenyo wants to become a Minister of state and he is betraying his profession for political career. Education is not for this purpose, Afenyo-Markin. Osafo-Marfo has disgraced himself, period and needs to redeem himself by apologizing
The learneds who only understand english will always defend the indefensible abaaa