KAKRA ESSAMUAH AND NDC MUST STOP PROMOTING TRIBALISM

There was a time Mr Kakra Essamuah, a former member of the New Patriotic Party

and now with the National Democratic Congress was seen as a man of honesty and

integrity. That integrity and honesty vanished the day he started to play the tribal card,

in a desperate response to Mr P.C. Appiah Ofori's comments and protest on the lack

of recognition and response from the Oguaahene, after the Oguaa Tradtional Council

had invited Nana Akufo Addo to the Fetu Afahye Festival. While one may not

condone Mr P.C Appiah Ofori's actions, Nana Akufo Addo party leader and NPP

PresidentIal candidiate has publicly distanced himself from his outbursts and has

ft made it' clear that he and the party would continue to honour invitations from the chief

. and every other chief in Ghana.
J( .The most disgusting part was when he tried to play the tribal card by saying NPP as a

'party and a tradition do not like Fantes. We reject these comments and reject his

attempts to sow seeds of division among Ghanaians. In fact the traditions ofNPP

began with the contributions ofPaa Grant who financially bankrolled the formation of

the United Ghana Gold Coast Convention, the first political party in Ghana. Our party

has produced some of greatest statesmen of fante origin. Kwesi Lamptey was Deputy

Prime Minister under Dr Kofi Busia, K,B. Brown was deputy General Manager of

Ghana News Agency, Stephen Krakue also a former Minister under Dr Busia, is

credited with reviving and laying the foundations of Modern day NPP, Bl Da Rocha

who was the first National Chairman ofNPP, Kwesi Brew was the party's National

Treasurer, l.A. Addison and Kofi Dzane Selby, Sekyi Hughes former Parliamentary

speaker were all founding members. Today NPP has the likes of Alan Kyerematen,

Dr.Arthur Kennedy, Issac Edumadze, Christine Churcher, Joe Ghartey, Jojo Essel

Cobbah, Michael Ampong, Francis Essiam, Danquah Smith, Amponsah Dadzie and

many others preparing the party for elections in 2012. Perhaps Kakra Essamuah can

explain how NPP has won elections in Central Region and held Cape Coast from

2000 to 2004. We also had 46% of the vote from the 2008 elections. Surely Professor

Mills ifhe is so well liked should get 90% of the votes!!!!

It is also interesting that Kakra Essamuah failed to talk about fante personalities such

as Lt Colonel Ekow Dennis, Colonel Enninful, Colonel Bernasko, Captain Holbrook

Smith, Ray Kakraba Quarshie and others, who suffered under the rule of Mr

Rawlings his mentor in the 1980s and were driven into exile, and in some cases lost

their lives. Other Fantes like Kakraba Cromwell, who was beaten and tortured,

Kwaku Baako who was imprisoned, Kwesi Pratt who was imprisoned and tortured

and had his fingernails pulled and Ben Ephson who as correspondent for West Africa

Magazine was imprisoned in 1987 on suspicion being a spy for the British

intelligence services. What about Brigadier General W.M. Mensa Wood former Army

commander during the PNDC years who DIED UNDER VERY MYSTERIOUS

CIRCUMSTANCES? We also know of Major Sam Acquah who was killed together

with the 3 judges. What about the late Mr Kow Nkensen Arkaah, 1stVice President

of the 4threpublic and dedicated Nkrumaist who was slapped several times around

the face at cabinet meetings by Mr Rawlings ?
We also know ofChristine Churcher and Francis Essiam, Fantes who were chased

out of the NDC and nearly lost their lives for expressing their views. Is Kakra

Essamuah ignorant or chose to suffer memory loss to these events?

Mr Essamuah should not try to rewrite history and throw dust into the eyes of

Ghanaians by playing tribal politics. He should stop displaying such arrogance and

rather explain to us why youth unemployment is currently running at 40% in and

around Cape Coast, his own backyard, twice the National Average, where the cold

stores his party promised the fishing communities, which is in their manifesto are,

why only 800 school uniforms have only been distributed to school children instead

of 28,000 in his district, why fishermen are buying premix at astronomical black

market prices, why there is shortage of Gas and why our youth have been reduced to

seizing public toilets.
We once again plead with our hardworking radio stations not to allow their premises

to be used by any individual or any political party to promote and propagate tribalism

.ih Ghana: We are one nation, one people and have an obligation to build a strong

~ted and prosperous country.
Nana Yaw Sarpong
Communications Officer
NPP UK and Ireland