Ablakwa brazenly spat in the face of party’s decision - Koku Anyidoho

A former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Koku Anyidoho has spoken on the resignation of Lawmaker for North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa from the Appointments committee of Parliament.

Mr Ablakwa resigned from the Committee on Wednesday March 31.

He said in a letter dated Tuesday, March 30 and addressed to the Speaker, Alban Kingsford Bagbin that the decision was taken “after days of careful reflection and thoughtful considerations”.

“I shall like to state that the reasons for this difficult decision are both personal and on principle.”

Reacting to this development in a tweet, Mr Anyidoho said “So, a single person in Parliament brazenly spits in the face of his Party’s decision – saying, he has ‘Principles”: Since the Party has expelled people who committed no such crimes; we wait to see the decision of the Party as regards the current issue.”

So, a single person in Parliament brazenly spits in the face of his Party's decision - saying, he has 'Principles": Since the Party has expelled people who committed no such crimes; we wait to see the decision of the Party as regards the current issue.

— Samuel Koku Anyidoho???????? (@KokuAnyidoho) April 1, 2021

He added “…Principles and personal reasons …’? Phew!!! Today is Holy Thursday, and I thank God that people who delight in berating others for refusing to hero-worship any cult figure because of “Principles & Personal Reasons”, are now touting Principles & Personal Reasons. Twea!”

'"...Principles and personal reasons ..."? Phew!!! Today is Holy Thursday, and I thank God that people who delight in berating others for refusing to hero-worship any cult figure because of "Principles & Personal Reasons", are now touting Principles & Personal Reasons. Twea!

— Samuel Koku Anyidoho???????? (@KokuAnyidoho) April 1, 2021

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for Asawase, Muntaka Mubraka, has said the National Democratic Congress (NDC) wing in parliament currently has communication problems.

This, he said has resulted in some of the challenges they are experiencing with the supporters of the party following eth approval of all of President Akufo-Addo’s ministers.

The approval of all of the ministers has resulted in apprehension especially within the rank and file of the opposition NDC.

The woes of the party keep compounding following the resignation of MP for North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa from the Appointments Committee of Parliament.

Speaking in an interview with Dzifa Bampoh on the First Take programme on 3FM Wednesday March 31, Mr Muntaka said “Little did we anticipate some of the things that were happening? We should have done more education this time round before even we started so that we all understand exactly what we are doing and how it is going to happen.

“Unfortunately, we missed that bit so I think communication has been one of the biggest problems that affect us.

“[But] we take it in good faith, we need to bring the pieces together, we need to be more strategic. I believe that as a caucus we need to have a communication wing so that we can relate to the public on issues even before it happens so that everyone will understand clearly what we are capable of doing, what we are not capable of doing, the challenges that are there and how many be we can overcome the challenges.

“It is just unfortunate that all these didn’t happen. Knowing very the goodwill that we had on the 6th and 7trh of January, obviously, I want to believe that If I were in their shoes my situation will be that we will continue to celebrate, we will continue to be happy but unfortunately the dynamics are different.”

For his part, the Greater Accra Regional chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Mr Ade Coker expressed concerns about the consensus approval of Mr Ken Ofori-Atta as Finance Minister by the Appointments Committee of Parliament.

According to him, Mr Ofori-Atta committed several perjuries during his screening by the Committee, a situation he believed made him unfit to have been approved by the Committee.

Mr Ade Coker also told Dzifa Bampoh on the First Take Wednesday that almost every well-meaning person did not expect Mr Ofori-Atta to have been approved by a consensus.

Explaining the reasons why some members of the NDC are livid after the vetting exercise and the subsequent approval, he said “All the appointments of the current administration have been very controversial.

“It started with the first batch of ministers who were approved especially when some members of our party voted for some who had been rejected.

“This controversy has been raging on for a long time, the Council of Elders of the NDC stepped in and we thought things have normalized. Then comes the minister for finance. We all observed that during his vetting he committed so many perjuries and did a lot of mistakes.

“The whole world wasn’t looking forward for him to be confirmed. I am not a member of the appointments committee but well-meaning people believed that the Finance Minister should not have been passed but after the vetting the parliamentarians passed him ion consensus. So kit comes to reason that people will be wondering what is going on in this country.”

Others believe that Mr Ofori-Atta’s approval was to enable him solve the problems that may have arisen as a result of some decisions he took as Finance Minister during the first administration of President Akufo-Addo.

But Ade Coker told Dzifa that “that will be very suicidal. Are you telling me that consequently if a government comes in and messes about, it should be let to continue till thy kingdom come?

“…look at all the state capture that has gone on. So naturally people will not be happy. Otherwise we can say that any government which comes and messes around we should give it another chance to continue messing up the country. So I don’t buy in that school of thought.

“He has just gone to borrow addition 3billion so the debt stock is going up so he should continue borrowing till thy kingdom come.”