Anita De Soso, a former National Women’s Organiser for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has criticised the party’s Members of Parliament (MPs) for their complaints regarding the “NPP will never hand over power to the NDC” statement made by the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong.
On Wednesday, April 12, 2023, in an interview with XYZ TV that GhanaWeb viewed, De Soso claimed that over 30 NDC MPs accepted bribes to support Bryan’s appointment as agriculture minister, against the views of Ghanaians and the party’s directives, but are now wailing over his remarks.
De Soso continued by saying that the NDC MPs should feel guilty for supporting Acheampong since it was their collective support that gave him the confidence to express himself in such a way.
These MPs were spoken to, but they did not pay attention. They were brought before Parliament after much suffering on our part, but they disregarded our advice to deny Bryan Acheampong’s application.
“Roughly 31 NDC MPs cast votes in favour of this man. This is the result of your accepting bribes in order to approve him. And I’m hoping that at least ten of you won’t win the upcoming primaries so you can come forward and make your confessions.
“You took money to approve him because you believed that being in Parliament was a chance to gain money. He is now giving you what you deserve in repayment. She said in Twi, “I warned you that God would punish you.
The former NDC women’s organiser continued, saying that if the party’s national executives and former President John Dramani Mahama were the intended targets of the NDC MPs’ choice to approve the government appointees, they are now reaping what they sowed.
Additionally, she urged NDC members not to be concerned about Bryan Acheampong’s remarks because the NPP will never use violence to win the elections in 2024.
Bryan Acheampong’s words:
Bryan Acheampong declared that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will never cede power to the opposition NDC in 2025 following the “Walk to Build a Better Ghana” with a large group of NPP supporters on April 8, 2023, in Mpreaso-Kwahu in the Eastern Region.
He warned the NDC against using intimidation and violence in the 2024 presidential and legislative elections because the NPP would prove to the NDC that they have the “men” to do it.
The NDC party will disintegrate. We will let the NDC know we have the men if they dare to use threats, violence, and blunders in the 2024 election. We’ll demonstrate to them that we have men.
“The men are here. We, the NPP, would never stand on a podium to offer the NDC the keys to the country. It won’t ever take place! Acheampong, who is also the MP for Abetifi, declared, “We would do everything in our power to ensure that the NPP remains in power.
NDC MPs supporting Bryan Acheampong and others:
Following a contentious debate 24 hours earlier and a difficult voting procedure, Parliament on Friday, March 24, confirmed President Akufo-Addo’s nominations for all six ministerial positions as well as the nominees for the Supreme Court.
Because there were three absentee ballots out of the total of 275 eligible voters, the final results announced by Speaker Alban Bagbin revealed that all nominees had more votes than the necessary 138.
Some National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members of Parliament (MPs) disregarded the party’s decision to vote against the nominees’ ratification.
The appointment of Bryan Acheampong (MP for Abetifi) as Minister of Food and Agriculture and Kobina Tahir Hammond (MP for Adansi Asokwa) as Minister of Trade and Industry was authorised.
In addition, the nominations of Stephen Asamoah Boateng for the Ministry of Chieftaincy, Mohammed Amin Adam for the Ministry of Finance, and Osei Bonsu Amoah for the Ministry of Local Government were approved.
The Nhyiaeso representative, Stephen Amoah, received approval to serve as the deputy minister of trade and industry.
Both Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu of the High Court and Justice George Kingsley Koomson of the Court of Appeal were approved as candidates for the Supreme Court.
Leading NDC stalwarts, including former President John Dramani Mahama, criticised the MPs who defected and charged them with betraying NDC followers and Ghanaians in the name of their own self-interest.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the MP for North Tongu, has asked the suspected bribed MPs—Kweku George Ricketts-Hagan, the MP for Cape Coast South—to explain to Ghanaians why they voted to confirm Akufo-Addo’s candidates.
Credit: Peacefmonline.com