Food distribution: I won’t engage in old-fashioned political shenanigans with you - Zanetor to Minister

Member of Parliament (MP) for Klottey-Korley Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings is disappointed that the Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister, Cynthia Morrison has flatly denied claims that food meant for the vulnerable in the midst of the fight against the novel Coronavirus is being shared on partisan lines.

For her, the Minister should have, at least, pledged to launch an investigation into the allegations instead of declaring that she ( Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings) had lied.

Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings had claimed that food meant for underprivileged persons in her constituency was being distributed on a partisan basis, such that persons without New Patriotic Party (NPP) membership cards were denied the food while head porters in some parts of her constituents did not receive food at all.

But the Minister in a statement denied the allegations insisting that Dr Agyeman-Rawlings was paddling falsehood.

“While expressing disappointment at Dr. Zanetor Rawling’s attempt to create political mischief out of a humanitarian situation, the ministry hereby states unequivocally that the allegations by Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlins are totally fabricated and not the facts on the ground,” the Minister said in the statement, adding that “Contrary to the claim that kayayei around Tema Station and Old Fadama are not being fed, an average of 5,000 packs of cooked food are distributed to Kayayei and other vulnerable persons from that vicinity daily. The MP’s claims are therefore false and unfounded”. The Minister said in her reaction sighted by MyNewsGh.com.

But Dr Agyeman-Rawlings has hit back, saying that she had expected the Minister to, at least, take steps to investigate the matter to ascertain the veracity or otherwise of the claims instead of her outright denial, dismissiveness and resort to name-calling and old-fashioned political shenanigans, stressing that the allegations are widespread with the media having reported about them.

“Respectfully, I was expecting the Minister to have acted statesmanly by engaging me to assist her with evidence from the ground. At least she could have promised to launch an investigation into all these reports to determine the veracity or otherwise of the widespread claims. But rather unfortunately, she chose the path of name calling and engaging in old fashioned political shenanigans. A path I refuse to tread,” she stated in a statement posted on her social media handles.

Dr Agyeman-Rawlings is, therefore, calling on the President to launch investigations into the allegations, affirming that she and her constituents are ready to provide evidence when such investigations are set up.

“I call on the President, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to institute credible investigations into the seeming politicization of food distribution in this time of crisis. My constituents and I stand ready to cooperate and to present unimpeachable evidence before such an investigative panel,” she assured.

She maintained that there is a need to avoid partisanship in the midst of the pandemic.

“May we learn to eschew needless partisanship in this defining period in the history of humankind and come together in true unity to win the war against COVID-19 and to protect the vulnerable adversely impacted in these apocalyptic times.”