Henry Nana Boakye aka Nana B and Rashid Tanko Computer
The Deputy Director in charge of IT and Elections of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Rashid Tanko Computer, has accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of hypocrisy over its planned August 6 demonstration, which coincides with the first anniversary of the helicopter crash that claimed eight lives in Adansi Akrofuom, Ashanti Region.
The NPP will embark on a demonstration today to protest over what it says are growing concerns about threats to Ghana’s democratic governance, particularly in the administration of justice by the judiciary.
In an interview with JoyNews yesterday, Mr. Tanko Computer recognised the party’s constitutional right to stage a demonstration, provided it adheres to the relevant legal procedures and remains peaceful.
He, however, said the timing of the protest reveals what he considers contradictions in the party’s position on the remembrance of the eight people who lost their lives in the helicopter crash, and therefore urged political actors to be sensitive to such a national tragedy.
“The good question is that it has exposed the hypocrisy embedded in their cry when we lost the eight people. Tomorrow (today) is the one-year anniversary. When people died, we celebrate it solemnly and pray for them. We are going to demonstrate with people who don’t see anything wrong with that,” he stated.
Mr. Tanko added that Ghanaians are closely monitoring how political parties choose between protest and an anniversary of national significance.
But the National Organiser of the New Patriotic Party, Henry Nana Boakye, popularly known as Nana B, in an interview on JoyNews, rejected claims that the party deliberately chose Thursday, August 6, for its planned demonstration.
He said “the NPP never disregarded the first anniversary of the helicopter crash that claimed eight lives, but settled on the date earlier before we heard of the one-year anniversary for the helicopter crash victims.”
“We chose our date way earlier. In fact, before we even heard that. It was only yesterday or so when I received calls that the one-year anniversary of our beloved brothers, friends and fathers who died is tomorrow (today). Let me say that we have not been invited, though they have sent invitations out to some people,” he added.
The National Organiser of the NPP also accused the NDC of applying a ‘double standard’ in talking about the timing of the protest, given how the government had continued to do its business under similar circumstance.
“We had some serious bloodshed in this country where we lost over 40 people. The following day, the President had a thanksgiving service. He was dancing. So are you saying that those 40 lives were less important? Fighting for the dying democracy under President Mahama is equally important,” Nana Boakye stated.
He also mentioned other incidents, including a fatal accident on the Accra-Kumasi highway which claimed dozens of lives, and alleged that the President failed to show concern to the affected victims.
Nana B stated that the demonstration dubbed “Democracy Under Attack” slated for today, August 6, is focused on among other things, to protest on issues including the acquittal of former Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) CEO Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu, and what it describes as arbitrary arrests and treatment of its members, as well as defend the country’s democracy.
The NPP National Organiser said the party, together with other political parties, will converge at the community centre near the Supreme Court at 5:00 a.m. and first present a petition to the Judicial Service, proceed to the Jubilee House to present a petition to President John Mahama, and make a final presentation to Parliament House.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah