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Politics of Friday, 17 April 2015

Source: atinkaonline.com

Sammy Awuku to sue Otokunor if…

The National Youth Organizer of the New Patriotic (NPP), Samuel Awuku has given a 24-hour ultimatum to the Deputy National Coordinator of the National Youth Authority (NYA), Peter Boamah Otukunor, to provide a purported tape of a meeting held in a Hotel at Tesano in Accra over plans to disrupt Campus Connect.

Campus Connect is an innovative programme and a platform for students to engage government officials and share their problems, concerns and suggestions for immediate feedback.

Mr. Awuku has warned that if Mr. Otokunor fails to provide the tape to Atinka FM within 24-hours, he should be prepared to face him in court because he has tarnished his image. “I am giving you 24-hours to provide the tape to Atinka FM and the 24-hours begins after 10am today.

“If I don’t get the tape from Atinka by 10 am on Friday, be prepared to face me in court. Do not pass the back door to come and beg,” Mr. Awuku charged on Atinka AM Drive on Thursday.

A Campus Connect programme organized by the Ministry of Education was disrupted by some students selected from various institutions in the Ashanti region.

Though the students reported at the venue at the Wesley College in Kumasi, they walked out when it was time for the Deputy Minister of Education in-charge of tertiary, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah to address them.

The students were protesting the withdrawal of teacher trainee allowances by the John Mahama administration.

Mr Okudzeto Ablakwa, Deputy Communications Minister, Kwakye Ofosu, Acting Director at the National Service Scheme, Dr. Michael Whyte Kpessah, and other major stakeholders in government were in the school to address students on opportunities available to them after completing their education when the incident occurred.

Reacting to the issue, the Deputy Coordinator, Otokunor accused Sammy Awuku of being behind the commotion.

He said, he had an audio recording of a meeting held by Sammy Awuku and all TESCON secretaries and presidents across the country at a hotel in Tesano.

Otokunor alleged that, at the said meeting, Sammy Awuku planned with his TESCON executives to disrupt the meeting in Kumasi as well as other campuses across the country. “I have evidence that Sammy Awuku planned that disgraceful act two weeks ago.

“I have evidence that Sammy Awuku planned that act,” Otokunor insisted.

He also accused Sammy Awuku of influencing Electoral Commission Officers during the Student Representative Council (SRC) elections at the University of Ghana at Legon in Accra to massage and manipulate the electoral process to favour his preferred candidates.

Asked if he could provide the tape in 24-hours as demanded by Sammy Awuku, Mr. Otokunor said “I will not work with the time of Sammy Awuku.”

Reacting to the allegations, Sammy Awuku said the Campus Connect is “money given to some ministers to do propaganda for government,” adding, he has never held any meeting with any TESCON executive.

He explained that students in the country are aware of the hardships in the country and so if they decided to disrupt the programme, he (Awuku) should not be blamed for it.

Sammy Awuku said students in the Polytechnics and the Universities are capable of making their own decisions; adding, “students should be given the opportunity to elect their own leaders and must not be subjected to political interference.”

On the Legon allegations, Sammy Awuku said Otokunor is just throwing dust into the eyes of the public since he has no evidence to back his claims.