Deputy General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party, Nana Obiri Boahen says he is committed to fighting for the party to win power than placing priorities on ministerial appointment.
According to him, the future of this country lies in the hands of the New Patriotic Party (NPP); and should the party collapse, then it would spell doom for the country.
He also indicated that should any position comes his way, he would welcome it with open arms but was quick to add that, if the said position would mean he puts he political colours aside, then he would forgo it.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Thursday, January 21, 2021, released his list of ministerial nominees for various portfolios.
In the list, most ministers who served in the president’s first term have been retained with a few shown the exit.
A section of the public has advocated for the president to trim down what has been largely referred to as an “elephant size” government; and others calling for the nomination of experienced minds like Obiri Boahen.
But speaking exclusively to Samuel Mbura on A1 radio’s “Daybreak Upper East” programme on Friday, the NPP deputy scribe urged his party members to attach some level of devotion to the party’s activities rather than seeking ministerial nominations.
“When they give me an appointment I will take; when they don’t give me I will allow. I have been in the system since 2000 when we came to power; it was a brief period, 2007 when I was given an interim time appointment 2007 to 2008. So, when you give an appointment I will accept, if you don’t give me, I will not ask a question and just be fighting for the course of the NPP. So, for me, my position is that as long as we are able to keep the fortunes of the NPP running, this country will move forward. In the absence of the NPP, this country will move backwards. And therefore, I must make sure I protect, I defend and fight for the New Patriotic Party and Ghana. So if you tell me that Obiri Boahen, I am going to give you a position and in that position, you are going to compromise your political activities I will tell you to take it, take that position. If you tell me I am going to give you an ambassadorial appointment I may go outside Ghana; so it means that I am not going to shout, speak, fight for the NPP and you say yes, then I say you take it. Me without NPP? I eat NPP, I drink NPP, I sleep NPP, I dress NPP. So if you give me the appointment I will accept it, you if you don’t give to me I am not bordered. I still go over and fight for NPP.” Mr. Boahen stressed.
He, however, expressed surprise and worry over how the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) was able to organize themselves well and go to toe with the NPP in the December 7, 2020, general elections.
Mr. Boahen did not hide his admiration for the NDC’s political tactics, thereby heaping praise on them (NDC) over what described as an incredible performance by the party.
To him, he was under the illusion that they (NPP) was going clinch a landslide victory but the results proved otherwise.
“I must say that I am extremely surprised and alarmed by the militancy, the activeness, the sense of togetherness and brotherliness exhibited by the NDC during the 2020 elections. All along I thought we were going to win overwhelmingly, as for NDC, we are going to push them aside, as for the NDC it just going to be a walkover, but when the results came, I said eeh! This is NDC for you. I was extremely surprised and very shocked.” He added.
Touching on whether there’s regional balance on the president’s ministerial nominations, Mr. Boahen was emphatic that he priorities the party’s activities and that he does not place priority on regional balance as stipulated by the Constitution.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Elijah Beyeni Yenibey|Ghana
