General News of Tuesday, 7 September 2010

Source: Citi FM

NDC group demands dismissal of regional minister

The Accra branch of the ruling National Democratic Party’s tertiary wing-TEIN- has called for the immediate resignation of the Greater Accra Regional Minister and the party’s National Youth organizer.

The group has accused Nii Armah Ashitey of organizing thugs to brutalize a party supporter while alleging incompetence against Mr Ludwig Hlodze.

Dr David Sunu, President of the Accra branch of the group told Citi News in an interview that the minister should publicly apologise and resign from his position.

He added that if the minister fails to resign the president should take the initiative and sack him because his behavior has cast a slur on the NDC party.

“The greater Accra regional minister Nii Armah Ashitey in his office ordered and supervised his bodyguard to brutalize a TEIN executive who is also the President of the Accra Poly TEIN who helped him win the job of MP and we think that this is unbecoming of a minister of state. His act will mar the democracy in the NDC and if left to stay, it would set a bad precedent. So we are asking him to honorably resign to clear the name of the party and if he fails to resign and publicly apologize, the President should sack him”.

Mr Afari Jones Jnr a TEIN executive claims the Regional Minister organized thugs to brutalize him. He told Citi News that the incident occurred when he sought to confirm an invitation extended to the Minister towards the chairing of a programme.

Mr Afari said he has since had difficulty in hearing with his left ear after he received the slaps from Mr Ashitey’s bodyguards. He added that the matter has been reported to the Adabraka Police Station and investigations are underway.

“I told him that when he needed us as polling agents to safeguard the polling stations, we were there but when we need him to confirm a program he is denying us and he became angry because I told him this. He ordered his bodyguards to take care of me and to my surprise I received three big slaps in my left ear and one in my right ear before the molestation and brutalization on the floor”.

“Actually when it happened I couldn’t hear with my left ear and I was taken to the hospital for treatment. I reported to the Adabraka police station and they said since it involved a high profile person they will transfer it to their head office for investigations”.