Editor in Chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper is convinced the controversial judgement debt paid to Alfred Woyome is a grievous mistake and president John Mills should take ultimate responsibility for it. Describing the Woyomegate scandal as a “tip of the iceberg” Kweku Baako Jnr. found it even more intriguing that in three years the ruling government thought it prudent to pay judgement debt to the tune of $480 million when it is globe-trotting seeking for loans as low as $10 million to develop the country. Speaking on MultiTV and Joy FM’s news analysis programme Newsfile on Saturday Malik Baako Jnr argued had public officers been a bit more “diligent”, “vigilant” and “respected the laws” the Woyome saga, which is now an albatross hanging around the neck of the government would not have happened and the president cannot escape blame. He was commenting on the Economist Intelligence Unit 2012 report which suggested that the Woyome scandal could affect the chances of the ruling government in the upcoming elections. Mr Baako posited that the scandal is part of a larger issue of corruption and will certainly play out in the elections. “This Woyome matter ought not to have occurred if there had been some level of due diligence and some vigilance; some respect for the laws of the land...That is where the president has a problem. This is a presidential system, whether he likes it or not he is ultimately responsible for it.” Mr. Baako could not however say the extent to which it will affect the ruling government but was convinced the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO) attempted to "help" the president in its report but only ended up “deepening his woes.” Per the EOCO report, President Mills on two occasions ordered that the monies ought not to be paid to Woyome and ordered the then Attorney General to go to court and set the case aside. But subsequent events indicated that Mills’ orders were disobeyed and the monies paid, a situation Baako insists showed a certain level of deficit. “What then occurred subsequent to these two events [orders]. Because the payments were eventually made and if the payments were made without recourse to the president, without informing the president and the president himself did not double check to find out what happened to the orders he made?" he quizzed. He said something basically went wrong in the whole saga but was emphatic that regardless of whatever happens in the December elections certain people have questions to answer. A former General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress Dr Josiah Ayerh said the Woyomegate scandal is undoubtedly a “juicy propaganda point” for the NPP. He said the Attorney General “threw in the towel” too early a posture he described as “worrying”. Ayerh said the country must take an alternative view of protecting the public purse when drafting contractual issues in order not for the country to be exposed to needless judgement debts in the future.