General News of Monday, 26 January 2015

Source: starrfmonline.com

Joy FM 'no-show': I didn’t accept to be on ‘Newsfile’ – 'Mosquito' speaks

The General Secretary of the ruling NDC Johnson Asiedu Nketia has denied accepting an invitation from Accra- based Joy FM to participate in a radio discussion on electoral reforms last Saturday.

The inability of General Mosquito, as Nketia is popularly known, to appear on the show threw the current affairs programme ‘Newsfile’ out of gear for the Kokomleme-based radio station.

General Secretaries of three other parties – NPP, CPP and PPP – who were in the studio, and billed to appear with Asiedu Nketia, boycotted the programme en masse, over the NDC General Secretary’s failure to show up.

They include Kwabena Agyepong of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ivor Greenstreet of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and Kofi Asamoah Siaw of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP).

The General Secretaries were billed to discuss proposals for electoral reforms put forward by the country’s elections governing body, the Electoral Commission (EC).

The NPP general secretary has accused his opposite member in the NDC of disrespecting his colleagues in the other parties.

In a reaction, the former MP told Okay FM Monday he cannot accept blame for the fiasco.

“My colleagues could have confirmed from me if I had accepted to be on the show or had promised to send my deputy to represent me.

“I was just a phone call away and they could have confirmed my participation from me before going out to attack me for not coming to the programme,” he stated.

In his view, the producers of the show must take the blame for the incident.

“Whoever told them that I had confirmed to be there that day lied to them.

“Besides, couldn’t they have proceeded with the discussions without me? Are they saying I’m the only general secretary who matters in Ghana?” Nketia wondered.