“Democracy Under Attack” demo: Nominating presidential staffer to receive our petition is disrespectful — NPP blasts presidency
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has criticised the government's decision to assign only Presidential Staffer Nana Yaa Jantuah to receive its petition at the Presidency following Thursday's "Democracy Under Attack" demonstration.
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin described the arrangement as disrespectful, arguing that the party had assembled a high-powered delegation to present the petition as a demonstration of the importance it attached to the issues being raised.
Addressing Nana Yaa Jantuah during the presentation at Jubilee House on Thursday, August 6, Mr Afenyo-Markin said the government's decision failed to reflect the significance of the concerns outlined in the petition.
“With great respect and without prejudice to your presence, to nominate only you to come amount to disrespecting us as a political party,” he said.
He noted that the NPP delegation comprised the Minority leadership in Parliament, the party's General Secretary, the Chief of Staff to the party's flagbearer, the Chairman of the NPP Constitutional Committee, Members of Parliament and other senior party officials.
According to him, the absence of more senior government officials suggested that the administration did not consider the issues raised by the party to be of sufficient importance.
“But to disrespect our democracy by only nominating you to come, it means the government does not take seriously the great issues before us,” he stated.
The NPP organised the nationwide "Democracy Under Attack" demonstration to protest what it describes as growing threats to constitutional governance, the rule of law and the independence of state institutions. As part of the protest, the party presented petitions to the Supreme Court, the Presidency and Parliament outlining its concerns and calling for action.