Forestry Commission suspends worker over involvement in NPP primary

The Forestry Commission has suspended a delegate at the Nsuta Kwamang Beposo constituency in the Ashanti region for his alleged involvement in the last weekend primary of the governing New Patriotic Party(NPP).

Yaw Siaw Wiredu, a worker at the Mampong branch of the Forestry Commission (Afforestation) was handed his suspension letter days after the polls.

Wiredu who’s also a Polling Station Chairman at Nsuta Presby primary B has however hit back at the Commission for the sanctions against him by his employers.

“When I was given my appointment, there were no portions where it had been stated that I cannot engage in politics. This comes to me as a surprise. I only supported the incumbent MP in the just ended primaries, who lost the contest. And days after I was called to report to the Head Office, where I was handed my suspension letter” he recounted.

The right to participate in political activities is a right specifically guaranteed by the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.

Article 21(3) provides that:

“All citizens shall have the right and freedom to form or join political parties and to participate in political activities subject to such qualifications and laws as are necessary in a free and democratic society and are consistent with this Constitution.”

This contention is amply related to the Civil and Local Government Association of Ghana’s (CLOGSAG) action in 2016 that sought clearance from the court if their members are eligible to contest political elections in accordance with the constitution.

The Court ruled that “On a true and proper interpretation of the Constitution, a member of the Civil Service or Local Government Service has a right to join any political party of his or her choice, however, such a person does not have the right to participate overtly in political party activities whilst still a member of the Civil Service or Local Government Service”.

NPP Primaries

The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) held its Parliamentary primaries on Saturday ahead of the 2020 general elections.

A total of 374 aspirants contested in 168 constituencies. There were 325 men and 51 women contesting.

Some of the aspirants, 67, went unopposed and were acclaimed by delegates of the party in the various constituencies.