Kwesi Pratt Jnr
Tongues have started wagging in the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) over the role of veteran journalist, Kwesi Pratt Jnr in the government.
Some think he has suddenly assumed overbearing influence on the Mahama-led administration to the extent that he has started calling the shots.
It follows his recent outburst over some happenings in government in which he literally called out President Mahama from appointing only his party members to fill vacant positions, since according to him, Ghana does not belong to NDC, describing the trend as “stupid”.
This has provoked a spirited attack and backlash in the party, with former NDC Member of Parliament (MP) for Kumbungu, Mohammed Ras Mubarak leading the charge.
In a Facebook post, Ras, who is also a former Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority (NYA), stated, “Your daughter is in government and you are complaining we are appointing NDC members,” in virtual reference to Mr. Pratt whose daughter has been appointed Press Secretary to Vice President, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang.
Ras Mubarak, who like many other NDC party faithful is yet to be appointed to any position in government, insisted, “You cannot be more entitled to appointment as a neutral than a party member who’s paid his or her dues,” whilst noting with emphasis, “someone can’t sit on the fence and expect to eat off the fruits of another person’s labour.”
He literally questioned why Kwesi Pratt Jnr was part of government’s delegation to Namibia, asking rhetorically, “how many NDC members since we won have had such privileges?”
Apart from that, the obviously displeased Ras Mubarak stated that, “Secondly, Mr. Pratt’s relative who is not NDC as far as I know (never seen his daughter spend days in villages like many of our equally qualified party women, canvassing for votes), whose husband pilloried us and encouraged people to vote Alan.”
He was of the belief that, “if there’s any government since JJR, that’s recognised more neutrals and non-NDC members, it is this government.”
“So what’s the noise about? Ambassadorial appointment at the chagrin of party members?” he asked rhetorically, with an advice in tow: “He should cut us some slack,” and giving credence to speculations that Mr. Pratt has being considered for appointment as Ghana’s Ambassador to Namibia.
That, he said, was because “if positions are given to party members, they are deserving of it,” wondering “does he know the number of qualified party members who can do a better job than Ama Pratt? (I’m sorry Ama, really sorry because you are a nice person, but Mr. Pratt’s crass hypocrisy is nauseating).”
Apart from that, he said, “Mr. Pratt is not more leftist than Hon. Kofi Attor or Alhaji Hudu Yahaya. He’s not hard left and more patriotic than any of us,” asking “why were the respectable senior party people not asked to accompany the VP to Namibia?” whilst noting with emphasis, “you get all of this courtesies and still rob it in by calling us a band of criminals?”
Ras Mubarak, therefore, noted that “this attempt to force the government’s hand to make you an ambassador should not be entertained,” with an advice in tow: “party members worked their socks off for this victory, don’t insult them.”
By Charles Takyi-Boadu