Civil Society Organisation (CSO), Global Security for Africa Research & Good Governance (GLOSARGG), has expressed its profound disappointment with the recent approval of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s ministerial nominees, by some members of the minority caucus.
This was contained in a statement issued by the CSO, following the approval of the nominees. GLOSARGG, in view of what it described as “unpatriotic action” on the part of the minority caucus, has made a few suggestions.
According to GLOSARGG, the “self-centered” MPs must not be given the chance by any platform, including the media (radio, TV and the print media) to speak or condemn the “rotten, ballooned, bloated but autocratic governance style of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led NPP government, because he who calls for equity must come with clean hands.”
It called on the leadership of the minority caucus in parliament and the NDC to, as a matter of urgency and honesty, “investigate this betrayal”, which it said was disgusting, decapitating and politically suicidal”
It further suggested that the “grassroots or the branches of the NDC party must, for once, sharpen their thumbs come May 13, 2023, to vote wisely, meaning voting out most of these suspected minority MPs, to pave the way for new but nation-building and patriotic MPs.”
GLOSARGG also called on “all CSOs, academia and well-meaning Ghanaians, to help educate the citizens” on the need to vote “efficiently.”
The Most Painful Form Of Betrayal Is When It Comes From Within
A section of Ghanaians expressed disappointment in the Minority, for approving the ministers to join the already over-bloated government.
Some high-ranking NDC members like former President John Mahama, North Tongu MP; Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the party’s general secretary; Fifi Kwetey, and a leading member; Prof Joshua Alabi among others, have all condemned the action of their members who betrayed the party, by voting ‘YES’ in the secret ballot to approve the nominees.
Likewise, the member of parliament for Tema East, Isaac Asha Odamtten, has also described the approval of some ministerial nominees by his colleague National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs, as betrayal.
According to him, their action is even more painful because it’s from within, adding that they (minority) defied the orders of the party and approved new appointees of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Odamtten in a Facebook post, however, noted that it was a lesson learnt, and they would keep on moving.
Meanwhile, the Tema East Member of Parliament, is not the first to express disappointment in some of the NDC MPs. Other members of the minority side in parliament, have criticized the unknown perpetrators and accused them of being in bed with government. Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, added her voice to the many that have expressed shocked and disappointment.
In a Facebook post, She said if her father, the late former President Jerry John Rawlings was alive, he probably would have challenged all NDC MPs to swear on Antoa (a popular god in Ghana) or dared them to take a lie-detector test, as about 40 of them went contrary to the warning expressed by the leadership of the NDC, and voted to confirm six appointees of President Akufo-Addo as ministers in a secret ballot on Friday, March, 24.
“on Friday night, I felt this deep pain that maybe it was perhaps better that he [JJ Rawlings] was not alive to witness what had happened to the NDC…we need to return to the values and principles on which this party was built including honesty, accountability, integrity, discipline and commitment to our nation, Ghana.”
Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings
According to Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings, due to the tension and suspicion on the day of the secret ballot, she had to record her vote. Although not appropriate, this was to prove that she voted against the approval of the nominees, as the party had directed them to. She said she took the decision to do so, so that she is not wrongly accused one day of being part of those MPs who betrayed the party and Ghanaians.
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