A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) communication team and Public Relations Officer of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), Godwin Mahama Ayaba, has challenged the Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, to provide concrete evidence supporting his claims of visa facilitation for NDC supporters under the guise of attending the ‘Unity Match’.
The MP had earlier alleged in a Facebook post that over 500 NDC members were sent to VFS Global to apply for UK visas, purportedly to attend the international football event dubbed the ‘Unity Match’, featuring teams from Ghana, Nigeria, Jamaica, and Trinidad & Tobago. He claimed the process was facilitated by the Ministry of Sports and Recreation.
In response, Mr. Mahama issued a strong rebuttal, calling on the lawmaker to substantiate his claims. “As concerned citizens, we must now demand that you substantiate these claims with facts and documentation,” he said.
He argued that such serious allegations, especially coming from a Member of Parliament, must be backed by credible evidence rather than unverified assertions.
“Parliamentary oversight must be conducted responsibly, grounded in verifiable evidence, not conjecture or hearsay,” he added. “As a lawmaker and lawyer, you are well aware that he who alleges must prove, and that burden lies solely on you.”
Mr. Mahama criticised what he described as an emerging pattern of politically motivated accusations intended to distract rather than hold individuals accountable. He contrasted Mr. Assafuah’s approach with that of NDC MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, whom he described as meticulous and fact-based in his oversight efforts.
“It appears your actions, and those of some of your colleagues, are motivated more by political equalisation than by the pursuit of accountability,” he said. “While Hon. Ablakwa supports his claims with intercepted documents and well-documented investigations, yours appear to be hasty, speculative, and lacking evidentiary support.”
Mr. Mahama further questioned whether the MP had any proof of fraudulent conduct in the visa application process or if any applicants had been denied travel after making payment.
He challenged the Old Tafo MP to publicly release names, documents, and details of the alleged criminal conduct, if any.
As of the time of this publication, Mr. Assafuah has not provided any evidence to support his claims.
Source: Latif Iddrisu