A leading member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) wants his party to focus on the message that will deliver them power rather than the politics of nepotism.
Speaking on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 FM, the former Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, and Executive Secretary of the Atta Mills Foundation said the debate about nepotism under the fourth republic is a non-starter because both parties have fallen foul to nepotism in the past.
“It’s not everything that must be politicized. At the end of the day, is it Ghana alone that this thing is going on? Is there any manifesto which speaks against this? I keep telling people that 2008 what brought NDC to power is the better Ghana agenda, which I was an integral part of it. And by the grace of God we came to power because we had a message.” he told sit-in host Akwasi Nsiah.
He warned that if the two parties keep going on that tangent stretching further the argument of nepotism “we may have to do a DNA test before giving appointments.”
He queried “so are we now to govern with strangers? Ghana deserves better, he said.
For him the more important thing is the bread and butter issues, the roads, hospitals, and how the leaders will solve the everyday problem of Ghanaians.
“We have all made certain mistakes in the past. Lets move forward in the trajectory that will help us. Let us not belittle the intelligence of Ghanaians. We must focus on the deliverables.” he said.
The opposition NDC on Tuesday reiterated their claim of nepotism against President Akufo-Addo, this time, backing it up with names and pictures.
At a press conference Tuesday, the communications director of the NDC Sammy Gyamfi named some 51 individuals who are directly related or close to people around the President and have been appointed to positions in the administration.
“Ladies and gentlemen of the press, among Akufo-Addo’s uncountable relatives in government, is Nana Asante Bediatuo, his cousin from Kyebi, who serves as his Executive Secretary. Bediatuo is not alone! He is joined in government by his father, Kofi Darko Asante, who chairs the Governing Council of GIMPA, his mother, Mrs Vida Asante, who is the head of the Presidential Household and his brother, Kwesi Kuntu Asante, who sits on the Board of Ghana Hostels. In addition, Nana Asante Bediatuo’s sister, Lauretta Asante (marital name, Otchere), is one of the three Deputy Directors-General at SSNIT who have been appointed by this government.
“Other relatives of President Akufo-Addo who currently occupy various positions in his government include, Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister of Finance; Samuel Atta Akyea, Works and Housing Minister; and Kwesi Amoako Atta, Minister of Roads and Highways, all of whom are cousins of the President.
Friends from the media, in an unprecedented move, President Akufo-Addo has made his own daughter, Gyankroma Akufo-Addo, a member of the Creative Arts Council,” the party said.
According to the NDC, the President has deceived Ghanaians with his campaign promise of not running a family and friends and government.
But the ruling NPP reacted insisting it cannot appoint enemies to run its government.
“We are not sure about appointing enemies,” National Youth Organiser of NPP, Henry Nana Boakye, said at a press conference held in Accra Wednesday in response to the NDC’s release of a list of 51 names of persons it claims are relatives and cronies in the Akufo-Addo government.
Nana Boakye claimed NDC leader Samuel Ofosu Ampofo said in August 2013 that he is a strong believer of family and friends.
“We can also come out with a tall list of their relations,” he threatened before dismissing such a move.
