Ayisi's apology insincere; he must resign from his position - Minority

The Minority in Parliament has described the apology rendered by Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, H.E George Ayisi Boateng as insincere.

The Minority believes the commissioner would not have rendered an apology without the pressure that followed his discriminatory comments.

According to the Minority, the initial posture from the commissioner was that of defiance.

Mr. Boateng was forced; his apology was insincere and was compelled to apologize after being summoned to the Flagstaff House.

The commissioner must resign from his post honourably, the statement called. The statement which was signed by Okudzeto Ablakwa, MP for North Tongu said they will consider a number of other avenues to get to the logical conclusion of the issue.

H.E Boateng members of the Tertiary Students’ Confederacy Network (TESCON) “This government is doing its best to create job opportunities and me for instance, I told my people over there [that] it is because of NPP that I’m here so the NPP man is my priority. I told them when NDC was in power it was Kwesi Ahwoi who was there, now we are in power, so Ayisi-Boateng is here with you. My topmost priority is the problems of an NPP person before any other Ghanaian, take it or leave it” he said.

“Indeed I’m not boasting but I’ve started meeting the NPP groups. Every weekend I meet some group members and I tell you if I had my way, every job opportunity that will come will go to a TESCON member before any other person. And I know my colleague appointees also have the same feeling except that because of IMF we cannot do anything now…”

His comments were widely condemned by a section of Ghanaians. He issued a statement on Wednesday to apologize for his discriminatory comments.

Immediate Release MINORITY IN PARLIAMENT'S POSITION ON THE RELUCTANT AND INSINCERE APOLOGY OF GHANA'S HIGH COMMISSIONER TO SOUTH AFRICA

The Minority in Parliament has had the opportunity at a meeting which ended a while ago to consider the content of an obviously reluctant and insincere public apology rendered by the beleaguered Ghana High Commissioner to South Africa, H.E George Ayisi Boateng.

The Minority further considered the full circumstances surrounding the apology as follows:

That H.E. Ayisi Boateng initially treated with contempt our demand of him to retract and apologize for his unconscionable, bigoted and unconstitutional remarks.

That H.E Ayisi Boateng even in the face of overwhelming condemnation and revulsion from many decent minded Ghanaians still chose to adopt a more belligerent, reckless and divisive posture as demonstrated by his reported retort in which he dared the Minority to go to the Supreme Court if we so please.

That H.E Ayisi Boateng rather than express remorse for flagrantly violating Articles 17 and 35 (3) of the Constitution of Ghana and the requirements of the Oath of Office he swore, unfortunately chose to embark on a pathetic attempt to equalize with non-existing parallels including a wicked effort to denigrate the good name of former president John Evans Atta Mills of blessed memory, mobilizing misguided NPP youth groups and some ill-advised party leaders to defend his shameful utterances.

That we have confirmed that the said public apology would not have been rendered by the disgraced envoy if he had not been forced by his superiors at the Flagstaff House and the Foreign Ministry coming 72 hours after intense public pressure on Government to act.

That Ghanaians living in South Africa have expressed their displeasure and sense of insecurity under this embattled High Commissioner demanding that he is not retained.

That the conduct of H.E. Ayisi Boateng over the last 96 hours have shown him to be unfit and lacking the temperament of a diplomat to occupy the high office of High Commissioner.

Therefore, based on all of the above, the Minority is compelled to maintain its stance that H.E. George Ayisi Boateng should resign failing which he should respectfully be recalled by H.E. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo with immediate effect.

Signed,

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa

MP, North Tongu

Ranking Member, Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament.

Issued in Parliament, 02/11/2017