GT. ACCRA NPP ANGER BURSTS

...Suspend Theresa Tagoe, Akomea but grant reprieve to Ashittey

THE RECENT imbroglio that has hit the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Greater Accra region, especially Tema East, Okaikoi South and the Ablekuma South constituencies, which the party members believe has brought the name of the party into disrepute, has sent the party chairmen in the region on a war-path.

As a result, constituency chairmen in the region have suspended two of the party's sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) from attending constituency and regional executive meetings of the party and granted amnesty to a third MP.

The affected two MPs are Hon. Nana Akomea, MP for Okaikoi South and Mad. Theresa Naa Amerley Tagoe, MP for Ablekuma South, with Hon. Ishmael Ashitey being granted amnesty by the national chairman of the party, Mr. Peter Mac Manu.

After chronicling the events that warranted their actions, the constituency chairmen and regional executives, stated that, “In view of the actions of these MPs, the regional executive committee has resolved that these MPs are hereby suspended from attending the constituency and regional executive meeting except that of Tema East MP, who has been granted amnesty by the national chairman.” This was contained in a petition signed by the regional and constituency chairmen to the leader of the party, President J. A. Kufuor.

Out of 27 constituency chairmen in the region, 22 appended their signatures to the petition, which was given to the leader of the party and the Chief Executive of the nation, President John Agyekum Kufuor.

The five constituency chairmen who were not in attendance to sign the resolution were, Nii B. Kaikai, Krowor Constituency chairman and Mr. Alfred Boye, Ledzokuku chairman, who were reported to have travelled to the U.K and Robert Sabbah, Ablekuma Central chairman, then bereaved. Tema West chairman, Mr. Azure Sampana and Sege chairman, Mr. Henry Lomotey were engaged in one way or the other, which prevented them from being signatories to the petition, this paper gathered.

In the petition, which was presented to the President last week, under the caption “Misconduct of Hon. Theresa Amerley Tagoe, Deputy Minister for Greater Accra, Member of Parliament for Ablekuma South”, the petitioners demanded that the Minister be relieved of her post with immediate effect.

“In spite of the fact that she propagated the skirt and blouse campaign, you still retain her as a Minister of State. However, we of the Greater Accra Region believe that her conduct is unbefitting of a minister of state. In view of the foregoing, we are appealing to your high office to re-consider retaining her as a minister,” the aggrieved party executives pleaded.

Prior to this statement, the regional chairmen averred that, “We, the Greater Accra regional executive Committee have realized that in spite of the numerous historic achievements of our government, certain persons you have honoured to assist in your administration are bringing the government and our party into public ridicule.”

The statement continued, “We wish to draw your attention to the conduct of Hon. Theresa Amerley Tagoe, MP for Ablekuma South and the Deputy Minister for Greater Accra Region and subsequently wish to appeal to your esteemed office to consider her immediate removal before she brings your good office to further disgrace.”

They alleged that the MP has been using her office as a deputy Minister to terrorize the party executives in the region and her constituency. They further alleged that she commanded the Korle-Bu police to arrest and detain the constituency chairman and executives of her constituency, after she had used her slippers to slap the chairman repeatedly in the face, in the full glare of the general public.

“She further sprayed mosquito insecticides on the arrested executives and ordered the police not to grant them bail. She hired certain persons to attack the regional chairman, Mr. Sammy Crabbe, which incident was reported at the National Council, with the witnesses who were hired to do so,” the petition alleged.

In a related development, regional executives have also petitioned the National Secretariat of the party about certain developments, which they underscored were detrimental to the fortunes of the party.

According to them, some MPs have resorted to flagrant use of Article 10 of the party's Constitution for the removal of constituency executives.

They noted that the framers of their party's constitution did not for nothing bring article 4 before 10. “We wish to refer to paragraph 18, sub section 3 of the national chairman's report, which states inter alia “that this party believes in the rule of law, the due process and constitutionalism. We must use the constitution to address and resolve our grievances, especially when the party's disciplinary and grievance procedures are clearly spelt out under article 4 of our constitution.”

It continued, “we must call upon our Council of Elders to resolve the conflicts and disputes among ourselves.'

The regional executive noted that it was unfortunate that some MPs in the Greater Accra Region have engaged in acts which infringe upon the framework of the party's constitution.

They mentioned MPs, Theresa Amerley Tagoe, Nana Akomea and Ishmael Ashittey of arrogating powers to themselves to sack the constituency executives and the problems that it had caused the party.