Minister angry at Mahama for ‘working against him’

Minister of State in-charge of Public Sector Reforms, Alhassan Azong is alleged to have called the bluff of President John Dramani Mahama’s support for the parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Builsa South Constituency in the Upper East region.

Mr Azong who is also the People’s National Convention (PNC) incumbent Member of, Parliament (MP) for the area, sources close to the MP said, he was fuming with anger when he complained to a friend via telephone conversation barely two months ago about how President Mahama and some NDC stalwarts were treating him.

“This is not the first time the NDC is contesting the Builsa South seat with me. They challenged me in 2008 and 2012 when I was even part of them. What I don’t understand now is President Mahama wants me to lose the seat to his so called darling boy, Dr. Clement Apaak who apparently is the NDC’s parliamentary candidate for the same area”, the sources said.

According to the sources, he would not be perturbed by what the President and the NDC will do, he will still stick to his gun and fight them boot for boot. He was not bothered, the sources said if that will even cause his dismissal from the government, saying “after all I’m a PNC man and not an NDC”.

Hon Azong, the sources said, he was not surprised that, the ruling government has intentionally rendered his ministry redundant just to make a case that, he is inefficient.

“How do they expect me to function and promote public reforms when the government has deliberately starved me with the necessary resources and as well denied me support to carry out my mandate”, the obviously worried MP was alleged to have told a friend on a phone.

That, he noted, it was because, he is not a member of the NDC that is why he is being treated like this, the sources said.

According to a deep throat source at the PNC’s headquarters, he is still not surprised at the behaviour of President Mahama because he did not appoint him.

“After the 2008 elections, before the second-round, I received a call from the late Professor Atta Mills who asked for my support having overwhelmingly won my seat and was assured of this appointment without the knowledge of President Mahama although he also called me later on to seek for my support”, our sources said, the MP told his confidante.

The Builsa South incumbent MP, our sources further said, complained about the posture of the NDC towards him which he thinks has made him (Azong) an enemy of progress to the people of Builsa South.

That, he explained, the sources said, it is because his people expect lots from him in terms of infrastructural developments which he has done much.

Hon. Azong who at this time could not control his frustration and anger, the source said, vowed to give the NDC a good run for their money come November 7.

“If the NDC thinks it is in power and for that matter it can do anything to annex the seat from me, then the party is in for trouble, because I’m prepared for them anytime, anywhere”, he was reported to have said.

All attempts by this paper to reach him via telephone for his response to these allegations proved futile as he failed to pick his calls.