I didn’t interfere with transfer of Customs officer — Asenso-Boakye

The Minister of Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye has denied claims that he interfered in the transfer of one Adubufour, a Customs officer stationed at the Tema Harbour, despite a recommendation made by a Customs disciplinary committee.

Recently, the host of the "Maakye" morning show on Accra-based Onua TV, Captain Smart claimed that Mr Asenso-Boakye interred in the transfer in relation to a matter concerning a Ghanaian firm, Labianca Company Limited and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

Statement 

In a statement, Mr Asenso-Boakye explained that sometime in 2018, when he was a Deputy Chief of Staff at the Office of President, he received a phone call from some elders of his local community at Bantama in Kumasi.

He explained that the elders informed him of a proposed transfer of Mr. Adubufour, who felt that he was unfairly targeted for the dutiful performance of his functions as a Customs officer.

Mr Asenso-Boakye said he called the then Customs boss to ascertain the veracity of the claim who denied that any such transfer was being considered.

Feedback

“I conveyed this feedback to the elders and took no further interest in the matter. At no time in the course of my conversation with the Customs Boss or Captain Smart was I made aware of any disciplinary committee recommendation to transfer Mr. Adubofuor as was stated on by Captain Smart on his TV programme” he added.

He insisted that neither did he exert any undue influence on the Customs Boss to maintain Mr. Adubofour, “an authority I simply did not have, even if indeed, he was to be transferred”.

Demanding retraction

Mr Asenso-Boakye said in light of the above, he had instructed his lawyer to write to Captain Smart demanding retraction and apology and expressed the hope that would be done with dispatch and given equal prominence as with the false assertion made on his show”.

“At all times in the discharge of my duties to our beloved country, I have operated with the highest standards of ethics and integrity and in full compliance with the law,” Mr Asenso-Boakye added.

“The claims made by Captain Smart are false and without merit, and as a journalist, I was expecting him to conduct his work with the highest standard of integrity and truthfulness, much as is expected of all public servants and anyone seeking to promote good governance in the national interest,” he asserted.