NDC sack Mahama’s ‘darling boy’

The woes of Sam Nartey George, who describes himself as a Communication Specialist at the Presidency headed by President John Mahama, is far from over.

After being sued by Ken Ofori Atta of Databank fame for a whopping GHC100 million for defamation, the Ningo Prampram Constituency Chairman of his own party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has also barred him from coming to the constituency to ‘propagate’ government policies to the branch members.

Available information to The Chronicle indicates that Mr. Sam Nartey George, who is reportedly nursing the ambition to become the Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram on the ticket of the ruling party, wrote a letter to the Constituency Chairman, dated February 22, 2015, informing him of his intension to visit the 76 branches of the party to interact with them.

Sam George’s letter reads: I wish to inform the entire Executive Committee of the National Democratic Congress, Ningo-Prampram Constituency, of my intention to visit 76 (seventy six) recognized branches in the Constituency.

I have in the past 4 (four) years, on several occasions, visited the branches with members of the Executive Committee to discuss issues of concern, and to disseminate government achievements to the grassroots, and I intend to carry out a similar tour to the branches in the last week of March 2015.

Since my appointment as Communication Specialist at the Presidency, I have not visited the branches to thank them for their constant support and to interact with them to see how I could be of better service to the hard working party faithful.

It is to this end that I am informing the Executive Committee of my intention to visit the branches and interact with them. I would appreciate it if the Constituency, as has happened in the past, would nominate some officers to join me on this tour, as I believe some pertinent issues, which would be of interest to the Executive Committee, may arise.

I extend this invitation to the Executive Committee as a sign of my continued cordial relationship with you. I look forward to a favourable response. Once again, I use this medium to extend to the Executive Committee, considerations of my highest regards. Yours in the service of the NDC, Samuel Nartey George.

The Chronicle gathered that the Constituency Chairman, Jacob Lartey Ayim, was livid upon receipt of the letter, because some of the claims were false. He subsequently responded in a letter dated March 15, 2015 to Sam George, where he pointed out all the falsehoods in his claims. The Constituency Chairman’s letter also reads:

I wish to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 22, 2015. And to state as follows:

Your request for permission to visit the seventy – six (76) branches to educate the members on government policies and achievements was discussed by all the constituency executives and the twenty two (22) ward coordinators who represent the 76 branches.

After thorough discussion of the said request, it was resolved that it should be turned down, based on the constitutional provisions of the party in article 36(1) which states that “there shall be established a National Communication Secretariat with responsibility to promote party-media relations, publicity, public education, information dissemination, opinion research and advertising.”

Furthermore, we wish to state categorically that the claims in paragraph two (2) of your letter that “you have in the past 4 (four) years on several occasions visited the branches with members of the Executive Committee to discuss issues of concern and to disseminate government achievements to the grassroots”, and that you intend to carry out similar tour in the last week of March, 2015, is false.

For the aforementioned reasons, your permission cannot be granted for the intended visit. You must, therefore, desist from all forms of meetings with the various branches. Be reminded that per the structure of the party, you cannot meet the branches without the approval of the constituency executives.

I hope the decision of the Constituency Executive Committee and Ward Coordinators would be treated with the highest respect.

Yours in the service of NDC, Jacob Laryea Ayin, Constituency Chairman.

Sources within the party have told The Chronicle that Mr. Sam George, who had an altercation with the former Director of Communication at the presidency, Koku Anyidoho, has not responded to the Constituency Chairman’s letter.