NDC group calls on NPP leadership to reject Akufo-Addo's GH¢600,000 bailout

A group calling itself Social Media Communicators of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) is calling on the national leadership of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) to reject the Ghc600, 000 donated by flagbearer aspirant, Nana Akufo-Add to enable them finance its  October 18 th national congress.

According to the group, Akufo-Addo's gesture amounts to bribing delegates to the disadvantage of the other presidential hopefuls in the race.

“We are of the opinion that this does not augur well for internal party democracy and call on the party leadership to reject the offer so as to present all three contestants an even playing field” the group stated.

Below is the full statement
News reports made the rounds yesterday that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was on the verge of postponing their much-awaited Congress slated for October 18, 2014 due to the lack of funds.

Even though a section of the party refuted the reports, it became clear by early afternoon yesterday that the NPP was financially challenged leaving the Flagbearer Congress in limbo.

It has however become news that Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo, a flagbearer aspirant for the NPP in the upcoming congress has volunteered to bear the cost of the Congress, which stands at some GHS 600,000 to enable the Congress come tomorrow.

Social Media Communicators (SMC) of National Democratic Congress has a few concerns to raise;

1. By this action, Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo's has placed the rest of the contestants at a sharp disadvantage. We are of the opinion that this does not augur well for internal Party democracy and call on the Party Leadership to reject the offer so as to present all three contestants an even playing field.

2. It is trite knowledge that Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo earned his last known salary in 2007 as a minister of State. This leaves us wondering how a man who is not known to be in any active business apart from the business of becoming flagbearer of the NPP raise such an amount of money at such short notice.

3. If indeed these funds are proven to be coming from credible sources, we would want to know the sources and inquire if the appropriate tax obligations with regards the receipt of the monies have been met as stipulated by the laws of our country.

4. We also question if Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo can buy an entire party congress just to be elected a flagbearer of His party, in the unlikely event that He becomes President of the Republic, would He not sell justice and security amongst others to the highest bidder?

5. We have all heard the Press Conference addressed by Party Chairman and Leader of the NPP, Mr. Paul Afoko of a certain forex accounts being operated in the name of the NPP without its knowledge. Is it then not fair to assume that the funds made available by Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo to finance the Congress emanate from that account?

6. This week a tape purporting to have the voice of Amin Anta and confirmed by Himself has surfaced. In the tape, Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo is purported to have offered Amin Anta some $5,000 as bribe to woo Him to join His campaign. How many more of such cases remain unheard of?

7. It is a worrying trend to have a political party under our current democratic dispensation whose political activities rests on the shoulders of a single man. It is important to unravel the personalities other than Nana Addo who are financing the party and its Congress as well as his campaign in order to know the characters that would have proximity to power in the unfortunate event that he become the President of Ghana.

Ending, we would add our voices to the call for the full disclosure of the sources and the utilization of funds of political parties and consequently call on all Civil Society Organizations to rise up and join hands with us in seeking answers to the afore raised questions. We believe that the discussion on the funding of political parties be resurrected for a bipartisan discussion on the way forward for our democracy.

Joshua Atta Mensah (SMC National Chairman)
George Spencer Quaye Story by Ghana/Myjoyonline.com