Ghana’s Deputy Communications Minister Victoria Hammah has been fired over an audio tape recording where she allegedly claimed she won’t quit politics until she has made $1 million.
The tape, claimed to have been made by her driver quoted her saying: “If you have money then you can control people.”
The tape comes just a few months after Ms. Hannah in August said she was under pressure to steal from the public coffers as many believed she was rich because she was a Minister.
Her tape caused rampange among citizens and is now viral on social media and is a subject of debate in local radio stations.
So much has been said about the tape and the swiftness of the president to sack her and many others have also discussed Ms. Hannah’s inability as Deputy Communications Minister, however she is seeking damages into her personal security against her cousin-driver, Lawrence Quayeson who was allegedly “contracted” by Deputy Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister, Rachel Appoh, to secretly record Victoria Hammah’s conversations.
The driver, however denies any wrongdoing. Opportunists are writing a book about it already and set to launch it in the country soon while the country’s former Commissioner of the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) Justice Francis Emile Short is calling for further investigations into the matter.
Overall, the sacked minster did not say she will use corruption to make her $1 million befroe she quits politics, she could do any business as long as she makes money. The tape also has a second voice, another woman in it, raising more confusion if its a fake one or real.
Here is a link to the tape or read the whole transcript below courtesy of Spyghana.com
[Speaking in Twi]
“When I return, I hope the work that I expect you to do, is done. I intend to get a pick up vehicle. Kwasi says he has to travel to Sunyani for his brother’s engagement and a funeral and so he’s gone. I’ll get a white land cruiser and a pick-up. If you work together, it’s fine. If you work individually, it’s fine.
[Speaking in English]
Then, you go and gather information, as many information as possible and when you go, coach the regional organizers.
[Speaking in Twi]
I can vouch that I talked to one of them to guide you through the work you’ll be doing, with the exception of that of Brong Ahafo, Baba Gawuchi. I don’t trust him. So when you go there, I’ll send you to the Sunyani DCE, who would help you with everything including the information that you will gather.
When you are done, then you’ll be able to give me a correct report on my return. That’s why I wanted to prepare everything before I leave. Therefore, prepare adequately because God willing, when I leave on Tuesday, that same Tuesday, you people will also leave so that we all can return at the same time
[Speaking in English]
In some areas like your area, Bolga, you can go there and pretend as if you have come to greet to your people. If it is not the vehicle that you are sending, you can go by this normal go come, go come. You can pick a flight here, go to Tamale, pick a vehicle and go there. Go and among them gather enough information and capture. So when we get all these things and we meet, we can know the nature of the job and know what to do next. You should not sit at the office and guard only because his time we need to gather information to guide us as to what to do. You wanted to say…
You see, the truth is that, we’re not on top of issues. When you are up there, immediately you go, the only thing they tell you is everything is ok, everything is ok, everything is ok”.
[Phone conversation in Twi]
“Michael, Michael, aha morning, yesterday Baba Sheriff and I met him. Hello, are you listening to what I’m saying. I entered, spoke to him and it was a heated argument. Baba Sheriff also came in. He said you should answer every query to the best of your ability and knowledge. When you’re done and there other issues, we would intervene on his return because he’s travelled. He was saying certain things, but I have to meet you personally, so that we sit down, discuss and then act on it. I told him that he was encouraging him to do those things, and he was also saying certain things. We will talk about it when we meet. I’ll go to your office. I’m going to Captain’s place…
[Phone conversation ends]
[Speaking in Twi]
Let him get everything done. It is very important because this job that we’re going to do, there is no way we are staying home. We are not going to stay home. When I’m done with the man, I’ll do everything possible to see you guys off, no matter what. I want Joshua to get the car that he gives to those people and when you return, we’ll get you an operational vehicle to use. We can no longer use those useless cars that they’ve brought. You won’t get far with those. I will take one of them. Didn’t you return with the car? Ah yes, the distribution list, I want us to reconcile so we know how cars are left.
[Speaking in Twi] YBG
Haruna, one of John’s followers, went to the ministry. Some of these boys go to the ministries to beg for money. They shower praises on us, and immediately they see us, they try to extort money from us. He said in the presence of some boys that Atta Mills had doled out all of NDC’s money to me. Honestly, Atta Mills has never given me a pesewa. In this world, they say and I believe in that thing that when you give alms, at times you wouldn’t know where it comes from, but it will come.
[Speaking in Twi] YBG
Most of the ministers, you go and ask them, I have never approached any Minister for money. I have sent Kwaku to collect something for your sake. I have sent Kwaku to the Ministry of Finance to get a letter or draft, for the issue you spoke about concerning your wives. Because I said that I know nothing about, they have some money to dole out. What I’ve realized is, when money is given out free of charge, there is the tendency not to do the work.
For example, when one is given GH¢ 5000 as a loan, he must pay and if he’s not able to pay, it’s fine. When he knows he has to pay back, he would work very hard to get profit. So what they said was that it is a loan and I agreed. So I’ve asked for a draft, from the Finance Ministry Director, and then I’ll see to the disbursement of the money to you guys. I agree with what you’re saying and we’re still working on it. He says I should use a company’s name but I will not use the money for personal gains when I know it’s for your sake. I’ll see to its disbursement so that your wives can even use the money to do petty trading, so that you can have something to fall on. Most of you have collected money and it is not that I take delight in giving that thing to them. I’ve realized that this helps me and all those who follow me. This is because when I send anyone anywhere and he says that I sent him, the repercussions of what I did, [Speaking in English] will come to him, and they will extend the same goodwill to anyone of you.
[Speaking in English]
So sometimes, it’s so painful when it comes that I’m giving this thing out and you people are being angry, it pains me but sometimes I think that you all have to do it for our own benefit. Because this one, that what I’m talking about, I just went there for these people’s money. I did not ask for anything. Then when they gave me the money and I was leaving, it was the Finance Minister himself who called me and called the Finance Director and told him that “oh, have you forgotten the thing that we were discussing about Yaw”. He said “as for you, you come here always talking about somebody, you have never spoken about yourself. So we have also talked about yourself and we say this, this and I say oh thank God.
I have some boys that I’m working with. Now it’s a problem getting them something. He said “ok, then bring this, bring this and let us go in. I have money for you so that you can maybe give them and they can also do. It’s small though but maybe let us make it like this one is the beginning. So as and when maybe we, we pay and everybody will know that oh these people have paid, I’m sure they will do what, they will increase it, they will increase it. So for all you know in about two, three or four months time, God willing if we win this election, and I’m sure we are going to win.
You will see that all of you will be having your stores or maybe something you know, where your wife is, then you will be free doing whatever job that will be assigned. And the other time too, we were talking about these Special Forces and this thing, we haven’t abandoned it. If you are there, that doesn’t mean you cannot still work for us. We will send you there, you will be trained and you will come back and be working. When the need arises, they call you to perform whatever duty that will be assigned to you and then you’ll come back and be working for the party.
During the time that we were in power, Balo and the rest who are following President now, they were at party headquarters. They were soldiers but they were at the party headquarters. You ask Kwasi Yeboah. He even served as a guard at the party headquarters sometime when he was a soldier. So you could be there and later come and, and, and serve and maybe go back and come and go back. So those of you who still have the strength to serve in that case should also make up your mind. But this is the immediate this thing that we want to do for you and that is why Kwasi is going for that draft and when he gets the draft, he will be leaving this afternoon for Sunyani. But I will take the draft and write everything and send it on Monday and Tuesday I’ll go. Before I come back and before you people also come back, I’m sure the money would have been ready and we’ll give you amount to operate.
But this time, just go and prepare that by Tuesday, you’ll be leaving to the region. So just as I told you the other time, go and let everybody tell me where, but spread it. Each and every one of you should be in, in one region, so spread it. When you go there, then you can gather as many information as possible and then kind of. The one who will go to Western Region, Central Region, those who will stay in Greater Accra here, those who will go to Volta, Eastern, Ashanti, I know you can go to Upper East. The one who can go to Upper West, you go and just gather some information and quickly bring us.
Even if it is for few days, it will help us. Let us know the effect of these new political parties in the region. Do you get me, very important? So I’m going to write, when I get it, after the meeting, I’ll come back. When I get it, I’ll write some small note behind my staff introducing them to the regional organizer and I said that with the exception of Brong Ahafo Region. Stanley is here, so the one who will be going to Ashanti Region, I’ll just introduce that person to Stanley so when he goes, Stanley will take care of him. You go round with him, find whatever information then you come and bring it. And try to gather as many information as possible, much information that you get as possible you gather and let us know. Names of all the key members of the parties in there, we do not have to trust, this a National Security. I don’t trust them.
That is also good, that information is good. When you get the name, you get the name and that will be very nice. Then investigation will prove that these are enemies who have been training well and are holding weapons and that is all. Ghana, everybody will say that if these people are training people to do this then, the all die be die, then we link it up.
You see, I have discussed it with, what’s the name, aha Kwasivi that the problem is that those who were there earlier have abused some of these things. So they are reluctant to issue us some of these things. We have told him that with the caliber of people that we’re working with, that we’re not sure that anyone of you can misuse that identity that will be given to you. But they still want more guarantee, you get the point and sometimes, it’s extremely difficult to get them to issue National Security identity to you people because of what some other people have done.
I think you agree with me. Some were issued with some of these things. There was a time that a man was brought there. Aha, that man, is he from your area there? Where Majid, where Majid came and was begging us. Who sent the man to you? You see, so some of these things, immediately you raise the issue of identity, this is exactly what they say and they are also of the conviction that if you don’t take care and the party takes it up to issue you with a party security, they would say that they are also forming a Para-Military Centre. You see, so it’s a very dicey issue but we are still on it.
And I think that you will get … because elections is on the go come, anybody who goes out needs to be identified. So how are we going to identify you?
National security cannot come out and say that ok, just as Electoral Commission do not have enough staff, permanent staff, we also do not have permanent staff, enough permanent staff. So we have to employ some other people, train them and have them to at least, you know, deliver some vital information for us to act on. So we are giving identity to those that we have trained as temporary staff. Fine, do you get me? Then it becomes, but that one let me just tell you that, that is the problem, so if you people can assure us that this is what exactly we would do and that any one of us would not misuse it.
He has always been talking about that thing, you know and the other time that, even what did he say? Have we discussed this thing before him when you were there? So I think there was a bus that was, there was a bus that was free even before, no after you people have been trained. I met them there where they were you know, arguing, and then about three or four of them had then been arrested on some of these things, you know all of them had been arrested, and this guy who uses the motorbike, the short guy who normally comes to my office, Bright, said he was the one who went and exposed them. The next day, he was shouting, he was just shouting and Col. Gbevlo-Lartey said that they should go and bring him.
When they brought him and he explained himself, he said that he is right and he says you people are disgracing the government. Then they went and apologized, you know and went and did some very bad thing, you know. So they said that because Gbevlo-Lartey was saying that about to be locked up but when they brought him and he said his organizer is here and asked me if, you know, I’m somebody who….and when he explained himself and explained everything to them, Gbevlo-Lartey said they should go and bring those people. He asked them and they said yes, they’ve brought them. He went and extorted some money from them, saying that they were National Security Operatives. So that is their problem. That is their problem….
That is the card. So haven’t they abused the card? They haven’t, ok, so with this information, then you leave it. I’ll ask Kaki and if it is full, I’ll just put pressure on Kaki, because he is with you people, he has issued us… if he don’t issue this thing for you, then I will send it to the National Security Coordinator for him to second the need but the point is that those who are working with them there are having problems and are nothing to write home about. And they are all, that is the reason why the slightest chance that they get, they go in there to extort monies from Kapito. What we want you to do is that let us concentrate on what we are doing now. I will still push for this…and I will use it as an example that those boys who went to Sunyani, they are with those boys and they know that you people have given them that cards, so I’m also demanding the cards for them . I’m not saying that pay them but you just give them that cards so that wherever they go, they can also identify themselves. The party cannot do it. You people are there for the party so you give it to them and let them work for us and let us see them. That’s all…