“We Don’t Trust The NCCE…They Areall NDC “ – Minority Leader

JUNE 25, 2012

STORY: AKWASI BONSU BIBINI (akwasi.bonsu@aol.com)

The Minority Leader of Ghana’s Parliament, Hon. Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu has chided theNational Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) describing it as an appendix ofthe ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The Minority Leader who was explaining the role of the NCCE in the 2012 elections on‘HardBall’ a political show on Fox FM in Kumasi Saturday said that the NPPcould not trust the NCCE for a good job in the upcoming elections. He said “We cannottrust the NCCE because they are all members of the NDC….”

The NCCE wascreated by the coming into force of the 1992 constitution as an independent institutionto promote and sustain democracy and inculcate in the Ghanaian citizenry theawareness of the principles and objectives of the Constitution of Ghana. Butthe Minority leader sees the NCCE as an incarnation of the NDC.

In an attemptto justify his attack on the independent institution, Hon. Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsusaid all the staffs of NCCE were appointed by the NDC under President Jerry John Rawlings. He said “…all of them were Cadres and appointed by the NDC under Rawlings”.

When he wasput on the spot by the host of the show to provide evidence for attacking theNCCE unfairly, the Minority Leader explained “at least all the NCCE personnel Iknow joined the NDC after their service in the NCCE… why?...why is it that theyall join NDC?”

In areaction to the Minority Leader on telephone, the National ProgrammesCo-rodinator of the NCCE, Mr. Akuamoah said he was amazed by the attacks on theCommission. Mr. Akuamoahgave an indication that the attack was a ‘stab in the back’ that the MinorityLeader has worked closely with the NCCE before and had demonstrated his wish tosupport the Commission only to turn about today and unfairly accuse theCommission.

“This isunfair, the NCCE is an independent institution established by the Constitution andif politicians who should know better go this way, then I am surprised” hesaid.

Mr. Akuamoahexplained that if a personnel of the Commission is identified to be partisan,the Commission quickly institute disciplinary action against the personnel in orderto save the image of the institution. He said “..recently, when one of our memberswho has been given a scholarship and a leave to study law at the Kwame NkrumahUniversity of Science and Technology contested the NPP primaries in the UpperWest Region, the Commission had to expel him. We have sacked an NDC member too from the Brong Ahafo Region”.

Mr. Akuamoahalso refuted the allegation by the Minority Leader of parliament that allmembers of the Commission were Cadres and appointed by the NDC under PresidentRawlings. “That claim cannot hold water because all the Presidents we have hadunder the forth republic have appointed members on to the Commission. Forexample, President J. A. Kufour appointed Mrs. Augustina Akosua Akomani whoreplaced a retiree of the Commission at the time”

It would berecalled that the NCCE suffered in terms of funding from the NPP duringPresident Kufour 8 years rule. It is public knowledge that the NCCE were illresourced under the NPP and this probably has been justified by the attack fromthe Minority Leader.

The questionthat most listeners who sent sms into the show asked was that, “will the NCCEsurvive under NPP should they win the December polls?”

Akwasi Bonsu Bibini akwasi.bonsu@aol.com