The Minority Caucus in Parliament and the Council of Elders of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have urged calm among supporters of the NDC over their dissatisfaction with the approval of some ministers-designate of President Nana Akufo-Addo.
In two separate statements, the Minority Caucus in Parliament and the NDC’s Council of Elders called for restraint.
According to them, care should be taken to ensure the grievances do not “degenerate into unnecessary bickering at the expense of party discipline and cohesion.”
Leadership of the NDC in Parliament including Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu; Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak; and the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, had been accused of betraying the party in approving some three ministers of Mr Akufo-Addo.
The three ministers who have since been sworn into office are Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah; Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto; and Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Mavis Hawa Koomson.
But the Minority Caucus in its statement dated March 5, 2021 and signed by Minority Leader, Mr Iddrisu, said “the Caucus remains loyal to our base and wishes to call for restraint and calm. We ask all NDC faithful to have faith in the Caucus leadership as we navigate our path to recapturing the Presidency In 2024. The Caucus would lead the vanguard with the support of our loyal grassroots.”
Sammy Gyamfi, a Communications Officer of the NDC; Zita Benson, a former NDC Minister of Tourism; Ras Mubarak, a former NDC MP for Kumbunku, were among those who accused the party’s leadership in Parliament of betrayal.
But the party’s elders in a statement signed by its Director of Communications, Kakra Essamuah, urged “party members to be circumspect with their utterances so as not to play into the unwitting hands of detractors lurking in wait to exploit the current uneasy situation.”
Below are the two statements
For Immediate Release:
NDC CONSULTS COUNCIL OF ELDERS ON ISSUES IN PARLIAMENT
The Functional Executive Committee (FEC) of the National Democratic Congress at its emergency meeting held yesterday March 4, 2021, discussed recent developments relating to the work of the NDC Caucus in Parliament regarding the approval of the President’s nominees for a number of Ministerial positions.
The meeting noted the public concerns over the approval process relative to what transpired during the vetting process which was followed eagerly by people. FEC is of the considered view that whatever the disappointments and disagreements may be, especially from among the rank and file of the party, care should be taken not to allow these to degenerate into unnecessary bickering at the expense of party discipline and cohesion.
We are also of the view that urgent action is required to deal with the matter and consequently we have initiated a consultation process with the Party’s Council of Elders in this regard. It is in our collective interest as a party to address challenges facing the Caucus Leadership and the Backbench as a whole. This task will be tackled expeditiously so as to preserve the unity, cohesion and resilience of the NDC parliamentary Caucus.
Meanwhile, we urge party members to be circumspect with their utterances so as not to play into the unwitting hands of detractors lurking in wait to exploit the current uneasy situation.
We remain confident that the party will emerge from this more united and focused to take on the failed Akufo-Addo government of greedy and corrupt family and friends even as the NDC pursues its vision of a more egalitarian and inclusive Ghana.
Friday, 5th March, 2021
ISSUED IN ACCRA ON 5TH DAY OF MARCH, 2021 Signed
KAKRA ESSAMUAH
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
NATIONAL SECRETA
By Melvin Tarlue