The Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Junior has descended heavily on the communication team of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) party describing it as useless and lacking knowledge about their own party.

According to him, the confusion in the NDC regarding the allegations raised by the Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) that the NDC is constructing new party offices at a cost of 20 million dollars at Adabraka, a suburb of Accra can be blamed solely on the weakness of the party’s communication team.

Contributing to a panel discussion on Metro TV’s “Good Morning Ghana” programme, the ace journalist opined that “there is total confusion within the NDC communication team” adding, “why can’t they tell us whether or not the building is theirs? This is a simple matter and they should tell us the truth”. He added, “I am disturbed by this issue. Some leaders of the NDC are not up to the task. They are simply incompetent”.

At a press conference yesterday to present evidence to substantiate their claim that the building belongs to the NDC, James Appiatu Ankrah of AFAG insisted that “we have evidence to provide and we are serializing them. The official newsletter of the NDC dubbed Sunyani Congress Special, edited by one Kwesi Sarpong, on page two captioned “State of the party”, paragraph eight and I quote; Two sites have been acquired for the building of a befitting national Headquarters, one is Adabraka in the Greater Accra Region”.

This according to Kwesi Pratt is no evidence stating “I thought they would present us with an indenture, or lease agreement. There is even no basis to say the building cost is $20million. In any case, that amount is not even beyond the NDC. None of the parties in the last election spent less than $10million and so to say that the NDC cannot afford that amount is preposterous”.

However, he said, ‘there are a lot of issues regarding the NDC, it is important that sometimes they say things that make sense…a huge allegation is placed on the party and interestingly everybody you talk to gives a different answer and a conflicting explanation; what is happening in the NDC? So far we have heard five different views regarding the allegations raised by AFAG. It is possible that what AFAG is saying is not true but because none of them is addressing the issue directly, it might lend credence to the allegations”.

He said his investigations reveal that the alleged $20million building is owned by a broadcasting house and this is clear from the agreement between the Chinese contractors and the owners of the building.

For his part, Dan Botwe, New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Okere agreed with Kwesi Pratt adding that, the way to go is for the state to fund political parties and ensure transparency.

He said even in advanced democracies, political parties are funded and wondered why a developing nation like Ghana won’t do same.

According to him, one advantage of funding political parties is that “the political parties themselves will serve as checks on government on corruption issues and this will enhance democracy”.

Francis Xavier Tuokuu/Ghananewslink.com