Stop accusing Akufo Addo of nepotism and get to work – Allotey Jacobs to NDC

The former Central Regional Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Allotey Jacobs has advised the party’s national executive to stop wasting time and resources on press conferences and rather get down to the grassroots to work.

According to the experienced politician that is the only way the party’s base can be galvanized to ensure victory in the upcoming 2020 elections.

His comments come on the back of a press conference held by the NDC on Tuesday during which they reiterated their claim of nepotism against President Akufo-Addo, this time, backing it up with names and pictures.

The Communications Officer of the NDC Sammy Gyamfi named some 51 individuals who are directly related or close to people around the President and have been appointed to positions in the administration.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the press, among Akufo-Addo’s uncountable relatives in government, is Nana Asante Bediatuo, his cousin from Kyebi, who serves as his Executive Secretary. Bediatuo is not alone! He is joined in government by his father, Kofi Darko Asante, who chairs the Governing Council of GIMPA, his mother, Mrs Vida Asante, who is the head of the Presidential Household and his brother, Kwesi Kuntu Asante, who sits on the Board of Ghana Hostels. In addition, Nana Asante Bediatuo’s sister, Lauretta Asante (marital name, Otchere), is one of the three Deputy Directors-General at SSNIT who have been appointed by this government.

“Other relatives of President Akufo-Addo who currently occupy various positions in his government include, Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister of Finance; Samuel Atta Akyea, Works and Housing Minister; and Kwesi Amoako Atta, Minister of Roads and Highways, all of whom are cousins of the President.

Friends from the media, in an unprecedented move, President Akufo-Addo has made his own daughter, Gyankroma Akufo-Addo, a member of the Creative Arts Council,” the party said.”

But Allotey Jacobs speaking on Kokrokoo show Wednesday monitored by Kasapafmonline.com questioned what impact of the press conference, adding that there’s more work to be done on the grounds.

‘The National officers of the NDC should get to the grounds, go to the constituencies and grounds and go to the constituencies and branches and interact with the party members uring them to move from house to house to campaign. Ahead of 2004 elections, we[NDC] went round the country screaming Ghanaians are suffering under then-President Kufuor, but still he won the elections."

"That must be a lesson to us, this is my advice to the national executives. I believe our NDC party has a research department, let’s find out if the NPP’s claims that then-President government was that of family and friends contributed to their victory or not. Then we can say that the NDC press conference held yesterday can have an impact otherwise as an organizer I advise that we must rather be on the grounds and work hard to win the 2020 election.”