The National Youth Leaders Forum, a think-tank with links to the main opposition NPP, has warned political scientist Dr. Richard Amoako Baah to be cautious of his remarks about the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition.
According to the group, recent comments by the KNUST lecturer about the confusion that has hit the party in Sunyani in Brong Ahafo are unfortunate.
In a statement signed by its executive director Michael Ampong, the group said Dr Amoako Baah is consciously sowing a seed of discord within the NPP.
“What has necessitated this press statement has to do with interviews and comments by Dr Amoako Baah, a political science lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in a reaction to an unfortunate development of a case brought against the party at a high court in Sunyani, Brong Ahafo region.
“Carefully listening to the reaction of Dr Amoako Baah, one could clearly discern that, he was making every attempt to let it appear that the National Chairman, Mr Paul Afoko and the General Secretary Mr Kwabena Agyei Agyapong are responsible for the clash of the two different set of counsels that represented the party in court,” portions of the statement noted.
Below are details of the statement by the NYLF:
“We wish to call for the attention of the rank and file membership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as well as the general public to be very weary and discerning about the activities of certain “hired”intellectuals and some mushroom civil society organizations or think tanks.
The activities of such individuals and organizations rather muddies internal party matters than seeks to help in the advancement of the arty towards its electoral fortunes in 2016 as well as further weakens internal cohesion needed for victory in 2016.
What has necessitated this press statement has to do with interviews and comments by Dr. Amoako Baah, a political science lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in a reaction to an unfortunate development of a case brought against the party at a high court in Sunyani, Brong Ahafo region.
Carefully listening to the reaction of Dr. Amoako Baah, one could clearly discern that, he was making every attempt to let it appear that the National Chairman,Mr. Paul Afoko and the general Secretary Mr. Kwabena Agyei Agyapong are responsible for the clash of the two different set of counsels that represented the party in court.
In as much as the incident was unfortunate, undesirable, avoidable and could put the good name of the party to public reproach and ridicule, there are still certain fundamental questions that needs to be cleared. Below are some of the questions:
- Which party offices are to be held responsible by law when a case is brought against the party in a competent court of Jurisdiction?
- In the administration of the party, does the sub committees set up by the National Executive work under the latter or above it. In this case scenario,does the constitutional and legal committee’s work over rides that of the National executive headed by the National Chairman and the General Secretary?
- Did the Chairman of the Constitutional and legal subcommittee, Honourable Professor Mike Ocquaye, consulted or collaborated with the leadership of the party before mandating Hon. Nana Obiri Boahene to represent the party?
- If the answer is no, whom do we therefore blame for the unfortunate incident at the court?
- Furthermore, did Hon. Nana Obiri Boehner (a former Brong Ahafo Regional Chairman and a onetime Minister ofstate)who now is a Deputy General Secretary inform his superiors (thus the National Chairman and the General Secretary) about his being delegated to represent the party in court?
All the above and many other logical and intelligent questions should be posed by any unbiased and impartial political commentator or civil society activist before proceeding to Make any public statements on the matter since their “judgment” could either indict or exonerate the public image of the National Officers Involved For the records, we want to call on Dr Amoako Baah and “his likes” to recall the party’s legal representation in the last Supreme Court Election Petition.
Though the party had a constitutional and a legal committee chaired by a former Attorney General in the person of Hon. Nii Ayikoi Otoo, the legal team was selected by the then National Party Leadership led by Chairman Jake Otanka Obetsebi Lamptey and Lawyer Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie ( Sir John), the then General Secretary
We of the National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF) would wish to set the records straight for the general public to be well informed about the issue at stake so they could arrive at a discerned “judgment” for the good of the Party and mother Ghana”.
Thank you.
Michael KwabenaAmpong
(Executive Director)
L.L.B. Student,
M.B.A (Corporate Governance)
Former Deputy National Communication Director
Former Regional Director of Communication. (Greater Accra Region)
