THE DECISION by the former Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram, Enoch Teye Mensah, to contest for membership of the Council of State has caused upheaval in the camp of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) – the party to which he belongs.
Some party executives appear to be unhappy with the decision of the former Youth and Sports Minister to contest for the Greater Accra Regional representative slot, with the assumption that the former MP is aligned to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The fact that when ET Mensah is elected to join the Council he, together with other members, will advise President Akufo-Addo on some major issues while he (ET) is still an NDC functionary, is causing fear and panic among supporters of his party.
He has been described by some of the NDC executives in the Ningo-Prampram Constituency as a traitor who may send a bad signal to grassroots members of the party.
On Monday, February 13, 2016, it came to light that the former Ningo-Prampram MP who lost the NDC primary to Samuel George Nartey, had joined the race to become the representative of the Greater Accra Region on the Council of State. The election is scheduled for today at Amasaman in the Ga West Municipal Assembly. He is among 16 aspirants in the race.
The constituency secretary for the NDC, Cephas Teye, has maintained that the executives are considering counseling the former minister to rescind his decision.
He stated, “We are yet to convene a meeting to discuss that issue. The first time I heard it, I was shocked the old man (ET Mensah) can go that far. For somebody who has been a minister for so many years and when there is a change in government you go and join the other government to be a member of the council for that government is something else.”
Mr Cephas Teye claimed, “I called the chairman and told him about what I've heard. We are yet to meet and discuss how we will go about that decision; it's either we go to him or see what else to do.”
The constituency secretary is scared that ET, who had served as MP on the ticket of the NDC for two decades might be considering crossing carpet to the ruling party.
According to Teye, “Majority of our people don't understand that it is non-partisan, so as soon as they see him during a different government regime, they will be thinking that he has gone to join them.”
Habib Mohammed, the Youth Organiser of the party in the constituency, said he was surprised his former boss is contesting for the position in the current regime.
Meanwhile, the Ga-Dangme Concerned Youth Group (GDCYG) has kicked against the aspiration of the 60-year-old man to become a Council of State member.
According to a press release signed by the President of GDCYG, Nii Ayaafio Tetteh I, “If the president of the republic, in the spirit of all-inclusive government, wants to appoint ET Mensah for a different portfolio, so be it; but not in the capacity as a member of the Council of State………”
From Vincent Kubi, Tema
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