We will resign from NPP if Ayisi Boateng is sacked - Vigilante group

A Vigilante Group associated with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Kumasi, the Ashanti Vigilante Group has threatened to resign as members from the ruling party should Ghana’s Commissioner to South Africa, George Ayisi Boateng be sacked.

This was contained in a statement issued by the group and signed by its leader, Nana Kwadwo Pipim.

According to the group, the apology by the TESCON patron settles the matter hence the ruling government should not be forced to sack him because of pressure from the confused opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), and their hypocritical minority will swiftly trigger the resignation of the entire membership.

"Enough is enough, after the minority had succeeded in getting an apology from Mr Ayisi Boateng, which shouldn't have been done even in the first place because a spade will forever remain a spade, not a big spoon, we want to pledge our unflinching support to the respected diplomat, and also declare our readiness to resist any frivolous calls by any individual or group, notably the minority in parliament to demand the removal or resignation of H.E George Ayisi Boateng, from his post,” the released said.

Below is the full text of the release

ASHANTI VIGILANTE GROUP (AVG) IF THE MINORITY SUCCEED IN COMPELLING AYISI BOATENG TO RESIGN, WE WILL ALSO RESIGN EN BLOC

The attention of Ashanti Vigilante Group (AVG), an identifiable group of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has been drawn to the persistent frivolous and hypocritical calls by the minority in parliament to demand the resignation of H.E George Ayisi Boateng, Ghana's High Commissioner to South Africa, over an alleged "partisan comments" he made at a TESCON gathering, at the Kumasi Technical University.

Mr Ayisi Boateng, who reportedly vowed to prioritize NPP members in his dealings with Ghanaians humbly, rendered an unqualified apology to all Ghanaians after receiving backlash from a section of Ghanaians over that honest and unharmful statement to let sleeping dogs lie.

Despite the unprecedented show of humility and maturity by the Ashanti regional Patron of TESCON to render an apology, the minority in parliament still remains resolute and unequivocal in their calls to demand an immediate resignation of George Ayisi Boateng.

However, we the members of AVG, totaling over 600 people, see the posture of the minority and the NDC at large as a symbol of hypocrisy and double standards.

Past appointees of NDC since time immemorial have been synonymous with discriminatory and divisive comments that are worse than this, but none ever apologized or resigned.

For example, page 4 of the Daily Guide newspaper reported on 25th November 2009, a press conference held by Hon Mahama Ayariga, the then presidential spokesman of Late Prof. Atta Mills.

At the said press conference, Mahama Ayariga disclosed that the president has directed all government appointees to give job opportunities to NDC members first before others.

In spite of the public opposition to this unfortunate pronouncement, neither the president, nor his spokesman, apologized or resigned.

The minority therefore do not have the moral right to fuel calls for the resignation of Mr Ayisi Boateng who made an honest and unharmful comment at the right place, at the right time.

Now, the position of AVG is clear, we are saying "enough is enough" after the minority had succeeded in getting an apology from Mr Ayisi Boateng, which shouldn't have been done even in the first place because "a spade will forever remain a spade, not a big spoon", we want to pledge our unflinching support to the respected diplomat, and also declare our readiness to resist any frivolous calls by any individual or group, notably the minority in parliament to demand the removal or resignation of H.E George Ayisi Boateng, from his post.

We want to conclude by saying that any attempt by any NPP party official, or any member of the appointing authority of the current regime to influence the removal or resignation of Mr Ayisi Boateng, because of the needless agitations from the confused opposition NDC and their hypocritical minority will swiftly trigger the resignation of the entire membership of Ashanti Vigilante Group (AVG).

Long Live H.E George Ayisi Boateng!!

Long Live Ashanti Vigilante Group (AVG)!!

Long Live NPP!!

Long Live Ghana!!

SIGNED:

Nana Kwadwo Pipim (President)