'Kokonte Boys' London Trip Hits Rock

A forum being organised by the UK and Ireland branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to enable some government officials, including newly-appointed Sports Minister Clement Kofi Humado, Deputy Tourism Minister James Agyenim-Boateng Presidential Aides Nii Lantey Vanderpuye and Stanislav Xose Dogbe, and a host of others to drum home support for President Mills, has suffered a major setback.

The government officials are expected to travel with party Propaganda Secretary and National Youth Organizer, Richard Quashigah and Ludwig Hlodze respectively to the heart of the United Kingdom this week for the stated reason.

But even before the government delegation sets foot on the Queen's land, the UK and Ireland branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have declined to participate in the event, saying the organizers want to use them to claim legitimacy.

The NPP says organisers of the event have created the impression as though the programme is a'collaboration' between all the major political parties which have branches in the UK including the NPP, CPP and the Ghanaian community there.

According to them, a handbill on the forum, currently in circulation, is 'calling all Ghanaian Youths NDC, UK & Ireland Chapter in collaboration with Ghana High Commission, Ghana Union, CPP and NPP invite you to Ghana Youth Forum Theme: Ghana's Youth: Partners in National Development.'

The hand bill is also said to be carrying the logos of the NPP together with that of the NDC, CPP and the trade mark of companies such as Cadbury Chocolate and Vodafone.

This is what compelled the NPP to distance itself from the event since according to its Assistant Youth Orgnizer, Godwin Adjei-Gyamfi, 'we, the NPP UK & Ireland Branch have not given our permission or have 'collaborated' with the NDC to hold such an event as described above.'

They also claim to have gathered information which suggested that neither the CPP nor the Ghana High Commission and the Ghana Union in the UK played any role in the organization of the said event, let alone Cadbury and Vodafone.

In a statement, Mr Adjei-Gyamfi admitted to being contacted by the NDC Youth Organizer in the UK on March 14, 2011 just to invite them to attend the upcoming event, indicating that 'we informed him it is the policy of our branch and our national party to co-operate and furnish support on issues which touch and concern Ghanaians in general and on issues where we have common ground but we objected to such an event being organised by a political party.'

He claims to have told the NDC Youth Organizer that such a forum would best come in the form of a non-political event which should be organized by either the Ghana Union or the Ghana High Commission, which he obliged.

Mr. Adjei-Gyamfi said he was therefore taken aback when he received an invitation and a hand bill on March 16, 2011, as described above.

The NPP expressed surprise and bewilderment at the action of the UK and Ireland branch of the NDC which has now proven to be the architects behind the scheme in a purely NDC programme.

They further expressed shock at the fact that patented trademarks of established companies such as Cadbury and Vodafone could be used without their consent, noting, 'We are very much concerned of the legal implication and should either Cadbury or Vodafone resort to legal action, it will certainly bring our government in disrepute.'

This, they said, was because 'this will ultimately affect the pockets of the ordinary tax payer in terms of a heavy legal cost and compensation to the companies'.

'We are therefore writing formally to distance ourselves from this event and state categorically that the event is a political event organised by the Youth Wing of NDC UK and Ireland and that NPP UK and Ireland are not in any way involved, and neither have we collaborated with it in any shape or form,' the statement said.

They suspect the event has been deliberately planned to coincide with the Ghana-England friendly football match, so members of government and, to a large extent, foot-soldiers of the NDC can travel to the UK for pleasure and entertainment in the name of soccer at the expense of the Ghanaian taxpayer.

It is not clear who is funding these Ministers and party officials to embark on this expensive trip.

They are scheduled to meet with members of the UK and Ireland branch of the party.

A memo informing and updating the UK members of the visit has been dispatched to London.

DAILY GUIDE sources in London have hinted of a planned protest against their visit by some local members of the NDC.

By Charles Takyi-Boadu