I Influenced the Appointment of IGP, Gja Prez - Effa Dartey Boasts

IF indeed the appointment of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) president, the chairmanship of the GPRTU and members at the council of state were all politically influenced by the NPP, which body is next to keep the government in check?

If the Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development and MP for Berekum, Mr. Nkrabea Effah Dartey was truly so influential in these appointments, then where can we direct our young democracy in the future?

The Minister disclosed in one of his monthly news letters at Berekum that, he had played a very influential role in the appointments of the GJA President, the IGP, the GPRTU national chairman and other members of the council of state, all of whom he said were citizens of Berekum in the Brong Ahafo Region.

Mr. Effah Dartey was comparing his achievements so far as MP and Minister, to those of the former MP, Mr. J. H. Owusu Acheampong.

"I have also in three years, brought twenty (20) good ministers of state to visit Berekum District and even if not the chieftaincy disputes, I would have brought more, and it is a great achievement," he added.

However, the Berekum District NDC youth organiser, Agya Hinneh has described these assertions as "childish talks."

According to the organizer, these twenty ministers only came to embezzle their monies and waste their resources, because their visits did not benefit the district in any way and they must rather charge him for causing financial loss to the district.

The youth organiser said this at the official inauguration of the New Biadan NDC Local Chairperson, Mrs. Juliana Ansu and other executives in Berekum, Brong Ahafo Region.

According to Mr. Hinneh, the MP had done nothing good for the District since he took over from his predecessor, Mr. J. H. Owusu Acheampong, except feed them with empty promises.

He said the only achievements the District could account to his name were some bore holes he had created for some villages and towns in the district, but Mr. Nkrabea, he said, charged ? 2 million for every one of them.

"The Berekum new Lorry Park that NPP said was a HIPC fund project, was rather funded and initiated by the NDC as 'urban 5 project' ," he said.

The NDC regional Propaganda Secretary, Mr. Ampaabeng noted that the NPP government was able to release an amount of ?141 million to the speaker of parliament, Peter Ala Adjetey alone for his holidays in Ireland, which money could have been used to support education.

"I think the NPP government has disgraced us because I see no need for the country opting for the HIPC, when we are capable of spending monies roughly like this," said Ampaabeng.

The Former Deputy Education Minister, Mr. Kwabena Kyereh who was alleged to have deserted the NDC for the NPP again debunked the allegation. "I will never be a "stomach politician" who leaves one party to another because of money," he asserted.

"I have never even liked to hear the name NPP," he added.

He urged the people to co - operate with the first ever-female chairperson in the District to fulfil her task.

The New Biadan local chairperson, Mrs. Juliana Ansu, after being ushered into office, promised to win more people for the NDC, especially women to enhance the victory of the party in the 2004 elections.

She urged parents to educate their kids on the good efforts of the former President Rawlings, who, according to her, had saved Ghana from tribulations.