Why I rejected gov't appointment - Sammy Awuku

The National Youth Organizer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Sammy Awuku, has confirmed that he refused an opportunity to serve as a minister in the Akufo Addo led-governemnt, in favour of party work.

According to the vibrant Youth Organizer, though it is prestigeous to be in government, it is also more prestigeous and fulfilling to be able to put smiles on the faces of the teeming youth who helped the party win power, hence he’s confortable staying at the party headquaters to do party work.

There have been earlier speculations that Sammy Awuku had refused to be appointed a deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development.

Thoughts of his exit from the party headquarters into goverment came as a worry to many party members as they were of the view that he still had a lot to contribute to party work. While others thought he deserved to be in government having work very hard during the electioneering campaign.

Speaking on Peace FM Tuesday Morning, Sammy Awuku stated that he declined President Nana Akufo Addo’s offer to be in government in order to work at the party level to fulfill the many promises the NPP gave the youth during the campaign.

“After the election, the President invited me and asked which sector in government I had interest to work in. I felt I couldn’t leave my youth behind and be in government so I told the President to give me some time to think about the issue. After some days I went back to him with the response that I’m grateful for the honour, but due to the huge promises made the youth of Ghana I prefer to remain working for the party. The youth need help in so many sectors, if I accept a ministerial position and I’m locked up in one ministry, how can I be of help to my colleague youth. So I decided to stay back in the party headquarters with my senior brother John Boadu to help the youth who need support. It is on the aggregate of that, that I elected myself and told the President that I’m comfortable at the party headquarters.”

Under Sammy Awuku’s leadership, the youth wing of the NPP last year was applauded for the massive mobilization of supporters and sympathizers, winning the students’ front and the young voters at large.