Politics of Thursday, 22 January 2015

Source: Owu Kojo | The Enquirer

Agenda against Portuphy: NDC members lead the onslaught

The level of self-destruction within the corridors of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) is very alarming.

Persons and groups that professed to have unalloyed love for the party are the very persons and groups that continue to arm the opponents of the party through their vicious agenda against their fellow party members.

The President, Ministers of State, Party National Executives have all suffered at the hands of the elements of destruction within the NDC.

It was the expectation of many NDC followers that such negative tendencies would have stopped after a successful congress in Kumasi to elect new National Executives.

But no, the destructive elements are still on with their heinous agenda that would arm the party's opponents towards election 2016 than never before.

This time round, the agenda is against no other person than the newly elected Chairman of the party, Mr. Kofi Portuphy.

Some powerful forces, including some party officials have vowed not to allow the cool-headed hardworking party chairman to have his peace and work.

Their agenda is to bombard the President with calls to force Mr. Portuphy to step down as the boss of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO).

That particular call emanated from a group within the NDC, Branch Executives, before other groupings from opponents of the NDC started making similar demands.

Interestingly, labor experts and lawyers have claimed on various platforms that the hardworking NADMO boss is not violating any laws.

One Dr. Amoako Baah, an ardent critic who hitherto had not hatched the idea of going to court over Mr. Portuphy's presence at NADMO, has threatened to go to court after the NDC group started with their agenda.

Another group, Patriotic Action For National Interest (PANI), is the latest to jump into the fray to demand from the President to fire the NDC Chairman.

Mr. Portuphy is strongly noted for his hard work on the quiet and has so far not spoken after numerous calls for him to step down as NADMO boss.

He is always spot-on whenever there is a disaster in any part of the country.

Prior to the NDC congress in Kumasi, there were allegations that he was using his position to lure the voters, but none of his competitors could substantiate the allegation.

NDC party insiders (names withheld for now) are worried over the development involving Mr. Portuphy because of his hardworking nature.

According to the insiders, persons interested in succeeding Mr. Portuphy are among those pushing for his resignation or firing from NADMO, claiming that there are no laws barring him from holding the office as NADMO boss and being the NDC Chairman.

It is instructive to know that the full-time day-to-day administrative work of all political parties in the country is done by the party's General Secretary.

Interestingly, the NDC has two Deputy General Secretaries to assist the General Secretary in running the administrative affairs of the party.

The NDC insiders are of the view that Mr. Portuphy should be offered the needed support of his grassroots politics expertise, instead of chasing him out of office.

According to them, personal interest and agenda should not override the overall interest of the NDC party.

More Soon!