NDC youth angry over appointments

While some people in the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) are enjoying the much-touted ‘Better Ghana Agenda,’ same cannot be said about executives and members of the party in Ablekuma North who are complaining about neglect by the party.

Some of the disgruntled party faithful, who spoke to DAILY GUIDE on condition of anonymity, said they no longer have an office in the constituency after their rent expired two months ago.

What angers many people is the appointment of persons who have made little contribution to the party, according to an executive.

They specifically cited Reverend Albert Okpoti Botchway, a Board member of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), who was recently appointed acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the nation’s premier health facility.

They accused Rev Botchway, who was recently in the news for imposing illegal charges at the hospital, of failing to contribute to the campaign of the party in the 2008 and 2012 elections even though he lives in the constituency.

They also alleged that his company had been awarded several government contracts.

“NDC members in Ablekuma North are more than orphans. We have worked tirelessly than a lot of Ministers. We had about 35,000 votes for the parliamentary candidate and the President. How many ministers, with all the funds, polled votes like we did?” one of the disappointed constituency executives told the paper.

Others wondered why the party’s 2012 parliamentary candidate, Ras Mubarak and his colleague, Ashford Tawiah Smith, who contested in on the party’s ticket in 2004 and 2008, had been sidelined by the NDC government.

According to them, the two personalities made the NDC attractive in a hitherto no-go area for the party.

Ras Mubarak however declined to comment on the matter, insisting “it is purely an in-house issue and not meant for public discussion.”

Instead, he asked this reporter to focus on how to make Ghana competitive and not issues relating to constituency office.

Some of the NDC executives in the constituency, who spoke to the paper, said they would advise themselves in 2016 if the party neglects grassroots supporters who could help grow the party.

They indicated their preparedness to petition the leadership of the party to address their grievances.