Trouble brews in PNC over CJA demos

Few days after the “Yewuo” demonstration organized by the Committee for Joint Action (CJA), some leading executives of the Peoples National Convention (PNC) have come under serious criticism over their role in the demonstration.

Notable among them are, PNC National Chairman, Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, the General Secretary, Mr. Bernard Mornah and the newly-elected National Youth Organizer, whose name was given as Wilson, and who actively participated in the demonstration.

Speaking to the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sissala West, Honourable Moses Dani-Baah, he disclosed that when he had information, hours before the demonstration, that some leading members of his party were going to participate in it he personally called Mornah and appealed to him not to take part, due to the new role that he had taken in the party.

He said he was highly surprised when he later heard him addressing the gathering, adding that if that was how things were going to be done, then it will not serve the interest of the party they were all trying to restructure.

Hon. Dani-Baah added that they have on a number of occasions advised people like Mornah and Ramadan to stay away from the activities of the CJA, but it appears that what they have been saying often fell on deaf ears, for reasons that are difficult for him to comprehend.

The former minister of state continued that what was more apprehensive was the structure of the group and its motives, and as far as he was concerned the PNC had not entered into any agreement with any group to allow its leading members to be part of such an association.

The matter is going to be a subject of discussion when the National Executive Committee of the party holds its next meeting.

On his part, Hon. John Ndebugre, MP for Zebilla, also expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation, saying he had been talking about the issues since time immemorial, but anytime he raised it the people concerned explained that they were there in their personal capacities.

He said looking at the CJA, it was very clear that it was a wing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and “we are not in any alliance with the NDC; and I don't see why they should be involving themselves in the activities of the CJA, which is calculated at destabilizing the nation.”

According to the Chronicle, when it contacted Bernard Mornah, he said that no where in the PNC constitution does it state that no one has the right to join any association of his choice apart from a political party, and that he saw nothing wrong in his association with the CJA.

He said he was not an NDC member and that he was only a member of the CJA and added that probably those complaining did not know what they were saying, because it was an offshoot of the NPP that overthrew the CPP government, the mother party of the PNC, yet those same MPs found it comfortable to work with the NPP government.

According to the paper, there some indications that the flagbearer of the party, Dr. Edward Mahama had on occasion warned Mornah to stay away from the activities of the CJA, but when Mahama was contacted, he declined to comment on the matter.