Executives of the ruling New Patriotic Party in South Africa have thrown their weight behind the embattled High Commissioner George Ayisi Boateng whose “derogatory comment” enraged most Ghanaians.

The diplomat is on record to have said he will give priority to party members than others when it comes to giving jobs since “some are more Ghanaians than others.”

He has since apologised over the statement, but the Minority National Democratic Congress and other pressure groups such as the Dynamic Youth Movement of Ghana are calling for his head.

Wading into the issue, the NPP branch in SA said resignation is needless since the envoy has shown remorse.

“We wholeheartedly support his apologetic letter and strongly stand by him. He has within his short stint in the country endeared himself to majority of Ghanaians in places that he has visited including Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, etc,” the executives said in a statement.

“We wish to state unequivocally, that we have no qualms with Mr G A Boateng remaining as Ghana High Commissioner to SA as he continue to fulfil his assigned mandate of which we are sure he is executing to the fullest,” they added.

Below is the full statement:

NPP-SA SUPPORT FOR MR GEORGE AYISI BOATENG:

The Acting Chairperson, all Executives of NPP branches, the entire membership of NPP-SA, and a cross section of Ghanaians in South Africa, Swaziland and Botswana, hereby declare our unflinching and un-paralled support for Hon. G. Ayisi Boateng (Paa George) as the High Commissioner to South Africa.

We wholeheartedly support his apologetic letter and strongly stand by him. He has within his short stint in the country endeared himself to majority of Ghanaians in places that he has visited including Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, etc.

In a meeting with Paa George-“Audience with the High Commissioner, H. E. Boateng”, in Johannesburg, on 24th September 2017 which was attended by Party members and other Ghanaians from Eastern Cape a distance of over 1000km, Bloemfontein-370km, Witbank-150km, Pretoria 54km, he willingly gave out his private mobile number that anyone in need of any support whatsoever, should contact him personally as long as he/she is a Ghanaian. In his interaction with the people he stated that even though he is deployed by the NPP, his mission is Ghana first.

On question time he chastised members who were calling for the removal of certain personnel from the High Commission; he advised the audience that all employees were Ghanaians, citing various examples to buttress his claim. He requested members present to solicit for investors among the broader Ghanaian community.

His simplicity and humbleness during GHANAFEST in Pretoria on 7th October 2017 is a testimony to his sense of devotion when at every stand he had a têtê-a-têtê with the owner(s) and offered the moral support, and encouragement to return home and invest.

We have video footage of both occasions (Ghanafest and Audience with HE) to support our claim, and will make it available to the respective authorities.

We wish to state unequivocally, that we have no qualms with Mr G A Boateng remaining as Ghana High Commissioner to SA as he continue to fulfil his assigned mandate of which we are sure he is executing to the fullest.

Secretariat

NPP-SA

Signed:

Mr Kweku Odame Takyi – Chairperson

Prof Acheampong Yaw Amoateng – Vice chairperson

Mrs Charity Nyarko Assan – Acting Chairperson/ Financial Secretary

Theophilus Asare Addo – Organising secretary

Kofi Antwi – Chairperson – Pretoria

Dr John Kudjoe – member-Disciplinary committee

Prof James Kwasi Darkwa – Member (Botswana)

Osafo Gyimah – member

Edmund Akwasi Owadee – chairperson, Free State province

Dr. Emmanuel Kwame Sarpong- Chairperson, Eastern Cape Province

Robert Hammond – Chairperson, Mpumalanga Province

Michael Nana Owusu – Kempton Park

Mrs Ama Adutwumwaa Ofosu Koranteng – member

Judith Nuako Sarkodie – member

Festus Addai – member

Smart Okai Koranteng – member

Philip Kwame Asante – member

Agnes Shorme Otoo – member

Eric Owusu Basoah – member

Dr Samuel Blay – member

Kwartey Quartey – member

Ismaila Lamin Mohammed – member

Cynthia Agyapong – member

Kofi Asare Agyei – member

Amanfo Dwuma- member

Jonathan Dodoo – member

Pender Boatemaa – member

Prof. Yirenkyi Boateng – member

Edward Packson – member

Victor Anim – member

Emmanuel Fabri- member

Johnson Asiedu-member

Kofi Owusu Ansah

Bright Kojo Asare – member

Tanyaw Kwabena Awuah – Ag. Secretary