NPP MP Blasts Minister

THE NEW Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for the Dadekotopon constituency, Honourable Godfried Ako-Nai, has accused the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Sheikh I. C. Quaye, of undermining his authority as MP for the constituency and being a major cause of the cauldron of disaffection brewing against him in the constituency.

The Regional Minister who himself hails from La, the hub of the Dadekotopon constituency in the Greater Accra region, is accused together with the 1996 NPP parliamentary candidate for the area, Madam Cecilia Eguakon who is also the Patron of the constituency.

Hon. Godfried Ako-Nai made the accusation during a general meeting held last Saturday, September 28, 2002 by the Dadekotopon constituency branch of the NPP to straighten things up for the impending delegates congress which is scheduled to be held on October 19, 2002.

Fears that some big heads might roll, including even that of the MP's favoured candidates were said by Chronicle sources, to have precipitated the simmering tension in the constituency.

Chronicle sources close to the executive hierarchy intimated that the MP made the accusation when he received word that the 1996 candidate had been invited by the Regional Minister to notify her of a fifty million (?50,000,0000.00) cedis Poverty Reduction Fund (PRF) facility that has been transferred to the La Community Bank for disbursement to some women's groups in the constituency to enable them improve their lot in life.

The issue of the facility came up when the executives were briefing members on efforts being made by the government to improve the lot of the electorate who had voted them into power and who were getting agitated over rumours that the amount had been left sitting in the vault of the bank for over six months while the masses continue to wallow in poverty.

Madam Cecilia Eguakon, the NPP candidate and a major source of help to the party, had indicated to the members that the executives got to know of the said amount on Tuesday, September 24, 2002 via a telephone call by the Regional Minister, adding that she, together with the executive core of the constituency followed it up to the Regional Minister's office on Friday, September 27, 2002 to check on the modalities for accessing the facility.

The paper learnt that the MP, with anger written on his face, got up from his seat without the appropriate ceremony and took a swipe at the poor woman, querying in harsh unparliamentary language why she should call on the minister without his authority and without informing him.

"I. C. Quaye is an MP and I am also an MP; the only difference between us is his appointment as the regional minister.

He, therefore, has no authority to interfere in my constituency," the Hon. MP was quoted as saying. "I know Madam Cecilia Eguakon and I. C. Quaye are both undermining me as the MP and God is going to deal ruthlessly with all those who go about tarnishing my reputation and making false allegations against me. I don't know why the two of them hate me so," the MP charged.

Honourable Ako-Nai claims that he was the one who initiated the facility and therefore saw no reason why Mrs. Eguakon should carry herself about as the one to take charge of the processes for disbursing the funds.

"The impression being created now is that I as the MP knew about the facility but deliberately chose to keep quiet over it for selfish reasons. This is not true. I love my constituency and would do everything to better their lot.

Besides, I cannot understand why Mrs. Eguakon should refer to me as 'the man sitting over there' when she knew me very well by my name," he stated.

Chronicle gathered that a general meeting held the previous week to discuss party and national matters ended in the same manner when elements in the party, in calling for the sitting executive committee to render accounts of their stewardship before holding its impending congress, started raining insults and casting insinuations at Cecilia.

Madam Cecilia Eguakon in a telephone interview with this paper, confirmed the incident saying she was surprised at the numerous accusations made by the MP, after all the wonderful relations that had existed between the two of them.

The paper learnt from top NPP sources that it was Madam Cecilia Eguakon who proposed to the NPP party that Godfried Ako-Nai should be supported to win the Dadekotopon seat from Sylvester Mensah and his National Democratic Congress (NDC) at a time party officials were arguing that Mr.

Ako-Nai was an NDC cadre. The MP, Hon Godfried Ako-Nai, in a telephone interview with this paper, confirmed the story and said "it is true that the regional minister and 'Auntie Ceci' have been undermining my authority ever since I was voted into office as MP.

The regional minister should be seen to be working in league with me as the originator of the process which led to the release of the facility to the constituency, but without regard to me, he called 'Auntie Ceci' to his office and typed a letter to the effect that the money should be released to her and the executives; I don't think this is fair."

The MP also indicated to this reporter that he was aware of clandestine activities within the constituency executives and some party officials to choose for Madam Cecilia Eguakon as a parliamentary candidate, come the 2004 general elections.

Chronicle is investigating allegations that the MP attempted heckling the poor woman when the meeting had almost dispersed.