Sam George in big trouble

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate (PC) in the Ningo-Prampram Constituency, Samuel George Nartey, is in big trouble, trouble that is threatening to end his political career if care is not taken immediately by the party, The National Tribute can report.

This follows allegations that the PC, who is always in the news for the wrong reasons, hired thugs who violently stopped the chiefs and people of the Ningo Traditional Area from holding a grand durbar to climax this year's Homowo festival early last week.

The event, held at Old Ningo, in his constituency, was marred by about 20 suspected thugs made up of land guards and rogues who stormed the venue of the programme at about 6am and burned canopies mounted a fortnight before, in preparation for the event, and destroyed the podium.

The thugs, who were armed, allegedly drove away indigenes who were performing a customary rite in the area called 'Ats'me Night' before the grand durbar to climax the Homowo festivities.

Later, the chiefs intended to continue with the programme by renting other canopies to be mounted at the venue, but the hooligans were said to have returned with their diabolical mission but the Prampram police, in collaboration with their counterparts from the Tema Regional Police Command, stormed the area with personnel of the Special Weapons and Ammunition Tactics (SWAT) to drive away the supposed Sam George's boys.

According to this paper's sources, members of the traditional council were compelled to call off the whole programme without performing any customary rite for Nene Djage, the god of the town.

They are now angry at the alleged action of Sam George and are convening a serious meeting to impose sanctions on him and his party.

The chiefs who are tight-lipped about the sanctions they are likely to impose on the politician and our sources says the sanctions will be harsh and will affect seriously the campaign of both the PC and the NDC as a party.

Some party loyalists in the area have also deserted him, even before he kick-starts his campaign because of the conduct of his politicking which many describe as rough and dirty.

Even before the dust could settle on Sam George's ongoing tug of war with the traditional authorities in the Ningo Traditional Area, led by Nene Karnor Atiapah II, acting paramount chief and Mankralo of the Ningo Traditional Area, his action is said to have angered some members of his party at Ningo and its environs.

Vowing to teach him a lesson ahead of the December 7 polls, many supporters of the NDC in the constituency have declared to vote 'skirt and blouse' in the general election by voting for President John Dramani Mahama and Sylvester Tetteh, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the area.

According to them, the party stands to suffer a big blow in Ningo-Prampram if they continue to offer their support to Sam George, who doubles as a presidential staffer.

The NDC candidate was recently at loggerheads with the traditional authorities and was fined; but a sheep he presented to the chiefs was rejected.

The rejection enraged him, and he reportedly asked the chiefs to also return GHC500 he had given them.

The over 200 defectors who are from Afienya, Dawhenya, Abbey-Kope, Mobole, Community 25 and Mataheko, in the Ningo-Prampram constituency, have promised to work hard for the president to regain his popularity.

They were of the view that the manner in which Sam George is misusing the name of the president to deceive people in the area was appalling and affecting the party. According to them, in most of the NDC strongholds they had visited to hold rallies ahead of the upcoming polls, they were confronted with various questions over Sam George's attitude.

Leader of the defectors, Marmah Mantey Francis, who was also a campaign coordinator for Sam George, pointed out to The National Tribute last month that "Sam George is not helping the party's image in the area since he won the primary. He continues to provoke each and everyone, including members of the NDC, with his bad manners and lies."

He noted that the aspiring parliamentary candidate does not respect the elderly, including chiefs who are leaders he wants to represent and wondered whether he will be a humble person when he wins power. According to him, in as much as they are NDC members, they will love someone with a good character like Sylvester Tetteh to lead Ningo-Prampram.

Promises According to Marmah, Sam George promised them tractors just after the primary to boost their farming activities, based upon President Mahama's promise to supply him with the tractors, but that promise was yet to materialize.

He said the NDC candidate further promised a number of public places of convenience after the primary but he was yet to start a single one in the area; and so the people were worried.

However, in a WhatsApp message sighted by The National Tribute, Mr. George said "To those who claim that thugs were organised by me, stop hiding behind politics and be men and mention the names of those who stopped the durbar. I am a cheap target.

Face the Djange Labia and call him a thug. That is, if you have the cojones. You hide behind cheap politicking and attack Sam George. The people of Ningo know the truth. The people rose in holy indignation at the appalling state of Ningo. They spoke the voice of the gods. Who am I to control the people?"

"I only seek to serve at their pleasure. You ascribe more powers than I wield to me. If the people listen to my word as you say, then this election should be a foregone conclusion because I would tell them, every single one of them to vote John Mahama and Sam George."