'The end has justified our means' - Occupy Ghana rejects partisan tag

Pressure group, Occupy Ghana is rejecting government claims that it was set up to execute the agenda of the opposition New Patriotic Party.

A leading member of the group, Ace Ankomah says they have never made any pretensions about being political but will be fierce in remaining non-partisan.

In a case of a pressure group being under pressure, the soul of Occupy Ghana has come under political scrutiny after a leading member, George Andah confirmed he was leaving the group to contest for the Awutu Senya West parliamentary seat on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party.

Nonetheless the group has reluctantly accepted the decision of  Andah to enter the foray of partisan politics.

“Should a person become less a Ghanaian because he harbours political ambition. That is so wrong, that is so flawed. “The end has justified our means. Our process is pure, our product is pure,” Ankomah said in vehement defence of the group.

Ankomah says notwithstanding the partisan ambitions of any member, the core values of the group- objectivity, accountability and transparency cannot be compromised.

George Andah in his red shirt during the July 1st protest

The group launched itself on July 1, 2014, on Ghana's Republic Day celebration. They marched to the Flagstaff House in protest over what many saw as a slow pace of development under the current NDC government.

But the soul of the group has come under political scrutiny after a leading member, George Andah confirmed he was leaving the group to contest for the Awutu Senya West parliamentary seat on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party.

A former CIMG Marketing Man of the Year and telecommunication guru George Andah has been explaining his decision saying “it is time to make things happen”.

The declaration has armed government communication with what it claims is the exposure of the true intentions of Occupy Ghana.

The National Organiser of the governing NDC, Kofi Adams said Occupy Ghana is "covering up for what they are not. They claim to be Ghanaians who are not partisan but it is very clear that a pack of them are working to get Nana Addo elected."

"The Occupy Ghana agenda is an NPP agenda," Kofi Adams stated.

But Ace Ankomah has dismissed the claims.“George might have haboured his ambitions all along but those ambitions must come to OG's credit because it has not influenced the way we go about our things. When we have had to criticize [government] we have done it and when we have had to praise, we have done it” lawyer Ace Ankomah explained.

He revealed how the group “quarrels like chickens” when debating issues during their meetings in order to arrive at the most objective position as possible.

It was a struggle for him to accept George Andah's decision, Ace Ankomah revealed. 

" George knows that I tried to talk him from taking a back seat [from Occupy Ghana]”, he said.

Nonetheless, he applauded the marketing guru's decision as “honourable”.

He says the group is still working with the Auditor-General to get those indicted in the Auditor-General's 2013 report to pay back any public monies misappropriated.

Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline|Edwin Appiah|[email protected]