A Communicator of the governing party, Stephen Atubiga, says the President’s appointment of an opposition Vice Presidential Candidate onto the board of a state agency, is an insult to supporters of the National Democratic Congress, who suffered to win victory for the party.
The Progressive Peoples’ Party’s Eva Lokko is part of a seven-member board that was recently sworn into office at the National Information Technology Agency (NITA).
The Board of NITA is chaired by Dr. Nii Narku Quaynor. Besides Eva Lokko, the other board members include the Agency’s Director-General William Tevie; a representative of the Ministry of Communications, Doris Efua Gafachi as well as Charles Aboah; George Samuel Nartey, NDC Communications team member, Fortunate K. B. Fio and Rita Sraha.
The National Information Technology Agency is a public service institution established by Act 771 in 2008 as the ICT policy implementing arm of the Ministry of Communications. It is the agency responsible for implementing Ghana's IT policies.
Its mandate includes identifying, promoting and developing innovative technologies, standards, guidelines and practices among government agencies and local governments, as well as ensuring the sustainable growth of ICT via research and development planning and technology acquisition strategies to facilitate Ghana's prospect of becoming a technology-driven, knowledge-and values-based economy as espoused in the e-Ghana project.
The project seeks to assist the Government generate growth and employment, by leveraging ICT and public-private partnerships. The establishment of the National Information Technology Agency is essential for e-Government to take off in Ghana.
NITA, according to sector Minister Dr Edward Omane Boamah, has the “widest deployment of 4G technology in the country right now, and it’s the only entity which has covered some of the remotest areas where telcos have not been able to go because of their own capital requirements.”
Mr Atubiga told Radio XYZ’s news analysis programme The Analyst on Saturday that, Eva Lokko’s membership of the Board is an affront to NDC members who suffered for the party.
“She is being rewarded as a Board Member. We know there are NDC members that are suffering. I respect her a lot. She’s very intelligent. She has what it takes. She’s a mother. I know her credentials. She can manage it, but she is reaping where she didn’t sow,” Atubiga fumed.
He said some members of the NDC found it befuddling that a woman who joined hundreds to demonstrate against the President and his government, as well as, accused the President of not knowing what he was about as far as governing the country is concerned, has been “rewarded”.
“This is a slap in the face. It is unacceptably serious that I think it is a betrayal. I know people in Kumasi, I know people in Accra, I know people in Binduri, I know people who have sacrificed so much [for] the party that are languishing without jobs. This is a slap in our face. I am protesting it, and I’m humbly requesting that she should resign from that position. This is hypocrisy. I’m surprised people stood and even swore her in. It’s unacceptable”.