You took bribes to approve Bryan Acheampong; now you're crying - De Soso slams NDC MP

Anita De Soso, a former National Women's Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has slammed the party's Members of Parliament (MPs) over their complaints following the "NPP will never hand over power to NDC" statement made by the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong.

Speaking in an XYZ TV interview monitored by GhanaWeb on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, De Soso said over 30 NDC MPs took bribes to approve Bryan's appointment as agriculture minister against the wishes of Ghanaians and the party's orders but are now crying over his comments.

She added that the NDC MPs should be ashamed for approving Acheampong because their voting for him, in their numbers, is what has emboldened him to speak the way he did.

"We spoke to these MPs, but they did not listen. We suffered and got them to Parliament, but they refused to listen to us when we told them not to approve this man (Bryan Acheampong).

"About 31 NDC MPs voted to approve this man. This is the consequence of your taking bribes to approve him. And I'm praying that at least 10 of you will lose the upcoming primaries so you can come and confess.

"…you think being in Parliament is an opportunity to make money, and you took money to approve him. Today, he is the one paying you back as you deserve. I told you that God would punish you," she said in Twi.

The former NDC women's organiser added that if the NDC MPs intended to embarrass former President John Dramani Mahama and the party's national executives by their decision to approve the government appointees, today they are reaping the seeds they sowed.

She also urged members of the NDC not to worry about Bryan Acheampong's comments because the NPP can never use violence to win the 2024 elections.

What Bryan Acheampong said:

Bryan Acheampong, after a walk dubbed "Walk to Build A Better Ghana" with a multitude of New Patriotic Party (NPP) supporters at Mpreaso-Kwahu in the Eastern Region on Saturday, April 8, 2023, stated that the ruling NPP will never hand over power to the opposition NDC in 2025.

He cautioned that the NPP would show the NDC that they have the "men" should they try to use threats and violence in the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections.

"The NDC party will collapse. If the NDC dares to use threats, violence, and foolishness in the 2024 election, we will let them know we have the men. We will show them that we have the men.

"We have the men. It will never happen that we, the NPP, will stand on a platform to hand over power to the NDC. It will never happen! We will make sure NPP remain in government at all cost," Acheampong, who is also the MP for Abetifi, said.



NDC MP's voting to approve Bryan Acheampong, others:

Parliament on Friday, March 24, approved all six ministerial nominees as well as the nominees of the Supreme Court of President Akufo-Addo after a heated debate, 24 hours earlier and a tense voting process.

Final results declared by Speaker Alban Bagbin showed that all nominees got more votes than the minimum of 138 votes required because out of the 275 eligible voters, there were three absent.

Some Members of Parliament (MPs) of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) did not adhere to the decision of the party to vote against the approval of the nominees.

Kobina Tahir Hammond (MP for Adansi Asokwa) was approved as the Minister of Trade and Industry and Bryan Acheampong (MP for Abetifi) as the Minister of Food and Agriculture.

Other nominees who were approved include Stephen Asamoah Boateng, as Ministry of Chieftaincy; Mohammed Amin Adam, Minister of State (Ministry of Finance), and Osei Bonsu Amoah, Ministry of Local Government.

Stephen Amoah, the Member of Parliament for Nhyiaeso, was also approved as the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry.

The Supreme Court nominees who were approved include George Kingsley Koomson, Justice of the Court of Appeal, and Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu, Justice of the High Court.

Leading figures in the NDC, including former President John Dramani Mahama, slammed the MPs who broke ranks and have accused them of betraying NDC supporters and Ghanaians for their selfish interest.

The MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has challenged the said MPs, who were allegedly bribed, according to Cape Coast South MP, Kweku George Ricketts-Hagan, to come out and tell Ghanaians why they voted to approve Akufo-Addo's nominees.

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