Pratt Slams Ken Agyapong And NPP

Managing Editor of the “Insight” Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., has questioned the decision by members of the opposition New Patriotic Party to scurry to the defence of beleaguered Parliamentarian, Kennedy Agyapong.

He believes that the NPP should either have issued a statement distancing itself from the comments made by the Assin North MP or better yet, suspend him from the party to avoid any collateral damage.

The NPP MP is under investigations for possible treasonable remarks after declaring war on what he says were unprovoked attacks on party faithfuls and activists by thugs of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the ongoing biometric registration exercise.

Angered at what he perceived to be the aloofness of the police following the assault on Ursula Owusu, the party's Ablekuma South Parliamentary Candidate at Tarzan, a registration centre in Odododiodoo by some thugs believed to be NDC activists, the Assin North MP declared "war" and vowed to lynch any "fake" security operative in the upcoming December polls.

He also called on Akans to club any person of Ewe or Ga descent who dare enters their shop.

Hon Ken Agyapong, who faces the death penalty if found guilty of treason for inciting the public, is currently being held at the regional offices of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI).

Commenting on the issue on PeaceFM’s “Kokrokoo” Morning Show, Kwesi Pratt was emphatic that the electoral fortunes of the NPP will be greatly affected by the utterances of the NPP MP.

“This issue occurred on Friday and I wonder if the attention of his fellow party members were not drawn to his comments….This is because under normal circumstances, moments after a party activist makes such a statement, the party will quickly distance itself…in another vein, the party can even suspend him to avoid any collateral damage. But the NPP allowed it to be discussed for four days without any action….And then when he was arrested the NPP is talking about solidarity action. Offering solidarity to someone who has declared ethnic war in Ghana? What kind of solidarity is that? The party should have issued a press statement distancing itself from his remarks;…that way the NPP would have grown much bigger and stronger….The NPPs campaign is going to be seriously affected by what he said for a very long time to come. Tensions are already mounting as a result of the impending election and instead of helping your party to win, you are rather destroying it. I don’t understand,” Kwesi Pratt said.

The seasoned journalist added that the incendiary statement by the legislator cannot be the position of the NPP. He also dismissed the argument that Ken Agyapong’s statement was in relation to the brutality meted out to Ursula Owusu and posited that the NPP MP has a penchant for making seditious comments.

“There are people in the NPP who are learned and knowledgeable and if they are to comment on Ursula’s attack, they would have given a better presentation. This is because what Kennedy Agyapong said is something which can lead to the downfall of NPP and you can’t tell me that what he said is the position of the NPP. That is not the position of the NPP…It cannot be true that Kennedy Agyapong made those remarks due to what happened to Ursula earlier on; that cannot be true. Even when former President Kufuor was in power that was what he used to do; it’s his stock in trade. He threatened to shoot me some time ago; when I had not even had any argument with him. It was during a normal discussion; so his recent comment is not due to an incident that happened earlier. How can an honourable Member of Parliament, an entrepreneur who owns his own radio and television station, go on-air and asked that Gas and Ewes should be lynched? When he was saying that did he forget that his party member (and National Chairman), Jake Obetsebi Lamptey is a Ga? Are there no Ewes in the NPP? These are comments which he should not have made in the first place. It got to a point the presenter asked him if he was declaring war and he said yes; the presenter tried to right his wrong but there was no stopping him…This was how Rwanda started…Ghana must be careful not to thread on that path,” he cautioned.

To him, the statement by the outspoken NPP MP was unprecedented.

“It is true that there are quite a lot of NDC activists who have also made equally condemnable comments, but I am saying that Kennedy Agyapong’s (statement) surpasses all…It is unprecedented. His remark has never been made by anyone before…He is not only declaring war but also asking people to lynch and kill their fellow human beings. For what offence?” Kwesi Pratt quizzed.

Whiles urging Ghanaians not to heed the call of politicians when they beat their war drums, he called on the security agencies not to trample on the rights of Kennedy Agyapong whiles in their custody.

“Because of the recklessness of one man who always spews out violence, innocent party members are suffering. I think we need to take a cue from this incident and realize that violence begets trouble; the effects of all die be die…You don’t get to see any president, minister or wealthy person indulging in violence…if someone gives you 5 cedis to engage in any form of violence, it means he has no respect for you…I understand Kennedy Agyapong is not feeling well and so no matter the offence the police should ensure that he is allowed to take his medications so that his life is preserved. The fact that he is at fault does not mean that he is not entitled to health care. I know when he comes out he will advise himself not to make such comments again,” he said.