Akufo-Addo won’t gift family state resources like Mahama did – NPP to NDC

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has hit back at the opposition NDC over the nepotism claim saying even if the names alleged to be family and friends of the president were true, none had been given state resources like President Mahama did.

The National Youth Organiser of NPP, Henry Nana Boakye, who is popularly called Nana B, said President Mahama gave the country’s bauxite resources to his younger brother just five days to the end of his administration.

The opposition NDC on Tuesday reiterated their claim of nepotism against President Akufo-Addo, this time, backing it up with names and pictures.

At a press conference Tuesday, the communications director of the NDC Sammy Gyamfi named some 51 individuals who are directly related or close to people around the President and have been appointed to positions in the administration.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the press, among Akufo-Addo’s uncountable relatives in government, is Nana Asante Bediatuo, his cousin from Kyebi, who serves as his Executive Secretary. Bediatuo is not alone! He is joined in government by his father, Kofi Darko Asante, who chairs the Governing Council of GIMPA, his mother, Mrs Vida Asante, who is the head of the Presidential Household and his brother, Kwesi Kuntu Asante, who sits on the Board of Ghana Hostels. In addition, Nana Asante Bediatuo’s sister, Lauretta Asante (marital name, Otchere), is one of the three Deputy Directors-General at SSNIT who have been appointed by this government."

“Other relatives of President Akufo-Addo who currently occupy various positions in his government include, Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister of Finance; Samuel Atta Akyea, Works and Housing Minister; and Kwesi Amoako Atta, Minister of Roads and Highways, all of whom are cousins of the President."

"Friends from the media, in an unprecedented move, President Akufo-Addo has made his own daughter, Gyankroma Akufo-Addo, a member of the Creative Arts Council,” the party said.

According to the NDC, the President has deceived Ghanaians with his campaign promise of not running a family and friends and government.

But the ruling NPP has reacted insisting it cannot appoint enemies to run its government.