A New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer hopeful, Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, has disclosed that he became a target after resisting the sacking of former chairman of the party, Paul Afoko.
According to him, some “shenanigans” were orchestrated against the party’s chairman to try and remove him from office, which he stood against. He indicated that the regulations and constitution of the party in addressing the matter were not followed.
Ing. Agyepong explained that when a party member wants to file a petition against a critical officer like a party chairman or a general secretary, it still has to be filed at the party’s headquarters, which never happened in the case of Mr Afoko. He stated that the petition went straight to the disciplinary committee which does not have the initial jurisdiction to start its own investigation into something unless the steering committee of the party has taken a decision to do so.
“So, the chairman refused to attend the disciplinary committee hearings and they went on to recommend his suspension… Even the national executive that was cobbled together to effect that suspension in my view, was improperly convened because according to our own dictates, it’s the party chairman that has to convene it.
“He was the subject of it but he still has to convene it. He was not the convener and most of the top echelon of the NPP were not there… So, I resisted it and of course, I became a target after resisting it. So, what I did was to try and prevail on Chairman Afoko to put in an appeal to try and work in the party structure to seek redress and he wasn’t happy…”
Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong
Ing. Agyepong noted that the issue which led to his subsequent ousting from the general secretary position in the party was a “very low point” for him. Nonetheless, he stated that being appointed as press secretary under the Kufuor administration was the highlight of his political career.
The NPP presidential hopeful said former President Kufuor recognized the long-dedicated service that he had given to the party and believing in his integrity as someone who is a nationalist, decided to give him such a position.
“I do believe that was the highlight of my service to my country but to my party, I will say in Tamale in April 2014 when I was massively elected as general secretary of our party. Although I was lying in my hospital bed in 37 military hospital, I was able to win that election because the party activists and executives recognized the dedicated service that I have given to this tradition right as a youngster in those difficult days…”
Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong
Describing his political life as one of sacrifice and selflessness, Ing Agyepong stated that these are the character traits he reckoned has anchored his career in politics. He explained that it is important that those values that animated politicians during the formation of the NPP, should be revived.
“I do clearly believe it is time for us as a country to create a new dawn of politics in our country. When I say a new dawn, a new thinking, a new dimension that will let us revive or revisit our understanding of what public service should mean to us as Ghanaians and party politics in general should mean to us as Ghanaians.”
Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong
Politics in Ghana
Currently, Ing Agyepong revealed that the narrative that is gaining currency in the country has to do with people who feel a lot of politicians get into politics to “feed fat” on the national treasury. This narrative, he encouraged, should change although it can only change with a new generational leader who has exhibited that.
“If you look at the surveys that have been conducted [such as] the Afrobarometer surveys, the standing of politics, governance and the political architecture in the eyes of Ghanaians has really waned and we need to do something to inspire the Ghanaian for them to have better or stronger belief in government. You talk to a lot of the young people and they’re very detached from politics and that is dangerous for our population, which is a reasonably young population.”
Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong
Ing Agyepong revealed that it is important that government inspires the new generation to realize there is beauty and a sense of fulfilment in working for the country and doing something for the citizens. He explained that the centerpiece of politics has to be the welfare of the Ghanaian, especially the underprivileged.
Commenting on the political climate in the country, Ing Agyepong expressed that Ghana has had successful transitions over the last thirty years. He noted that despite all the economic shortcomings that it is facing currently, the country is in a much better place than it was under military dictatorship.
“So, some of us have an onerous responsibility to caution the youth, especially when we fall into difficult times and we hear some of them talk about military takeovers. They haven’t lived through it and so I deem it a duty for myself to always caution and alert people that this is a better place for us; a constitutional democracy where we get the opportunity to elect our leaders every four years.”
Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong
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