There is growing tension within the opposition National Democratic Congress in the Greater Accra Region over the conduct of the Regional Chairman, Emmanuel Nii Ashie Moore.
The situation reached a new height on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, when a group of constituency women organisers of the party petitioned the National Executive Council (NEC) over what they describe as persistent chauvinistic and bigoted actions by Emmanuel Nii Ashie Moore.
The petition, signed by over forty constituency women organisers in the Greater Accra Region and submitted on Tuesday, alleges that Emmanuel Nii Ashie Moore has displayed male aggression and threatened assault on some leading women in the party.
The petitioners cited three instances where they believe Nii Ashie Moore exhibited sexist tendencies by verbally abusing women in the party.
"Apart from other alleged misconduct of the Regional Chairman since he took office, some of which have been reported in the media, he is repeatedly displaying tendencies of a misogynist.
In the full glare of onlookers, the Regional Chairman, according to the petitioners, has threatened assault on key women in leading roles in the party and called them despicable names, setting them up for public ridicule.
"During the 2022 National Congress of the Party, the Regional Chairman called the Deputy Regional Secretary, Madam Patricia Akuyea Addy, an 'ashawo' (meaning 'prostitute') while attempting to assault her. This is apparently because she questioned why the Regional Chairman wanted to usurp the powers of the Regional Secretary by seizing accreditation tags meant for party delegates. Despite calls on him to withdraw the disparaging words and apologise, he remained adamant and went unpunished.
"Obviously emboldened by the fact that no one called him to order, he repeated the same at the party headquarters in the presence of some national executive members and other leading members of the party during the submission of our flagbearer's nomination forms. For no apparent reason, Mr. Ashie Moore flared up and went on a rampage at the headquarters, chasing after Madam Obuobia Darko Opoku in an attempt to assault her.
"Some of us witnessed first-hand this maniacal onslaught, as he screamed, calling her unprintable names and referring to her as an 'ashawo'. Madam Oboubia is the Deputy National Communications Director of the party and, currently, a member of the NDC 2024 campaign," parts of the statement read.
The latest act of alleged harassment and verbal abuse, which compelled the over forty women organisers to petition the Greater Accra Regional executives and the NEC, is the supposed abuse and threat of assault against the Regional Women Organizer, Madam Felicia Merkpoi Bortey, by Emmanuel Nii Ashie Moore.
"Still pursuing his aggressive, misogynistic tendencies, on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, at a meeting of the Greater Accra Regional Executive Committee at the Regional Office, he hurled insults at the Regional Women Organizer, Madam Felicia Merkpoi Bortey, threatening to beat her up. Typical of Mr. Ashie Moore, he once again called her an 'ashawo'."
The group noted the urgency of the situation, explaining that with the Greater Accra Region holding a key and strategic role in the 2024 election, it is imperative that the NEC make efforts to whip Emmanuel Ashie Moore in line and ensure that the women's wing of the party executes their duties with utmost confidence to help bring the party back to power.
"We deem it necessary to object strongly to the conduct of the Regional Chairman and to place this objection on record. It is highly inappropriate for Mr. Ashie Moore to continue denigrating women in the party and, as women organisers leading the women's wings of our various constituencies, we are extremely worried that if steps are not taken to get him to put a stop to this behaviour, we may also suffer similar fates.
"It is absolutely unacceptable for a Regional Chairman to wear this dishonourable badge of misogynism in a critical region like Greater Accra. Even though he may have a record as an 'abuser of women', once he has assumed the role of Regional Chairman, his conduct must reflect the ethics of that noble office. Against this backdrop, we request that your outfit act swiftly to call the Regional Chairman to order.
"We have addressed various offices or personalities, hoping that at least one of them will take up this matter since some of us are beginning to lose hope in our structures when it comes to dealing with the despicable conduct of the Regional Chairman. He keeps misconducting himself, yet he walks around with boldness and arrogance, looking for his next prey. The Regional Chairman cannot be untouchable in a Party that touts its democratic credentials," parts of the statement read.
The women organisers' demand comes at a critical juncture as the party prepares for the 2024 general elections. As Ghana's most populous region, Greater Accra is expected to be one of the deciding regions in this year's presidential elections.
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