Group questions Akufo-Addo over K.T. Hammond snub

Some constituents of Adansi Asokwa in the Ashanti region are upset with President Akufo-Addo’s failure to appoint Member of Parliament for the area K.T Hammond as a minister in his government.

The constituents are especially disappointed that the outspoken NPP MP was not considered for any position although he was very vocal when the party was in opposition.

In a statement issued by the group calling itself ‘the Adansi Patriots’, the constituents outlined some key roles K.T Hammond played in exposing the previous administration on corruption issues which they claim contributed to the NPP’s victory in 2016.

According to spokesperson for the group, Richard Yeboah, supporters of the party in the constituency want answers from the President.

“Even though we are aware of the constitutional provision that, the President reserves the sole prerogative to appoint and sack ministers, we think the snub of Hon K.T Hammond, the MP for Adansi Asokwa is very unfair and an indictment on the people of Adansi Asokwa and the Adansi Traditional Area at large.

“He is not just a senior Member of Parliament but a very vibrant and knowledgeable member. We are aware of his contributions to the party in the erstwhile Kufuor government as a deputy minister and his hard work during our eight years stay in opposition.

“He has been among the few vocal and effective members of Parliament who exposed corrupt practices in the erstwhile John Mahama’s government which contributed largely to the massive victory of NPP in the December elections.”

Below is the full statement

PRESS CONFERENCE BY ADANSI PATRIOTS ON K.T HAMMOND HAS BEEN SNUBBED?

We act on behalf of Nananom of the Adansi Traditional Area, the youth of Adansi and the people of Adansi Asokwa Constituency to congratulate His Excellency Nana Addo Danquah for his electoral victory and subsequent swearing in as the President of the Republic of Ghana.

Ladies and gentlemen we have called you here to express our dismay and disappointment about the decision of the President H.E Nana Addo Danquah Akufo to exclude our MP, Hon K.T Hammond from the list of ministers nominated to serve in his government.

Even though we are aware of the constitutional provision that, the President reserves the sole prerogative to appoint and sack ministers, we think the snub of Hon K.T Hammond, the MP for Adansi Asokwa is very unfair and an indictment on the people of Adansi Asokwa and the Adansi Traditional Area at large.

For the records Hon. K.T Hammond is the most experienced Member of Parliament on our bench except Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu who has served one more term than KT and Hon. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong who has served the same number of years with Hon. K.T Hammond in the house.

He is not just a senior Member of Parliament but a very vibrant and knowledgeable member. We are aware of his contributions to the party in the erstwhile Kufuor government as a deputy minister and his hard work during our eight years stay in opposition. He has been among the few vocal and effective members of Parliament who exposed corrupt practices in the erstwhile John Mahama’s government which contributed largely to the massive victory of NPP in the December elections.

Besides he was up to the task, fought every battle for Nana Addo and has supported every decision of the leadership of NPP which ensured our victory. Simply put, he has been phenomenal. With these and many other achievements, nananom, the people and of the youth of Adansi particularly Adansi Asokwa were hopeful that K.T was definitely going to be appointed as a Minister to serve in the government of Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo.

Even though we became skeptical when Nana mentioned the first and second batches of his nominees without the mention of KT, we were still hopeful that he was going to make the last list of nominations. But with 50 substantive ministers appointed we assume the appointmens are done. Our K T did not make the list. We find this incredible.

We accept that not every NPP supporter or not all the millions of the people who voted NPP to power, not even all the members of Parliament were going to be appointed as ministers but it’s obvious to all by now that Hon. KT Hammond has been singled out for an unfair treatment. On the national scene, we can count the number, who have now made it to ministerial list, who worked harder than our KT.

Even though it is not conceivable that a deputy minister could sell a ship and for that matter any national asset without the authority of government, it was KT who single handedly battled the NDC to restore the reputation of the NPP when in the noise surrounding the drill ship broke out.

For those who have cared to read the report of the Judgement Debt Commission, they would have seen that not a single adverse finding was made against him but the whole nation is aware that it was our KT who stood firm.

It is he who has gone to court to challenge the wrong findings of the Justice Apau Commission on behalf of the NPP family. He is defending the NPP both in the high court and the Court of Appeal as we speak. The Asiedu Nketiah gimmick was all that it was, a political gimmick and nothing more.

In his fight against the NDC corruption, KT was sued in libel by some of those he challenged for tampering with the nation’s resources. He took the battle to the NDC and the results was that the whole of the national and regional NDC apparatus pitched camp at Adansi Asokwa in a concerted effort to remove him at the general election as a member of Parliament.

The President, the Vice President, Asiedu Nketiah, Betty Mould Iddrisu, Koku Anyidoho and all those who matter in the NDC were at Adansi Asokwa. By Allah’s grace, he sailed through with increasedi majority in the midst of all the scare mongering by some top members of the regional hierarchy of his own party. We know of other areas in which KT also greatly helped to secure victory for the party.

What then is the reason why of all people in Parliament our KT has been left out. Even NDC members are baffled. How can a material like our KT be snubbed in such a denigrating by the President? What is his crime? The nation wants to know.

We of the Adansi Asokwa Constituency, the Chiefs and the people of the traditional area require some answers. KT deserves better than this.

We wish the President and government well.