A civil society group, Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to sack Mr George Ayisi-Boateng as Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa or risk a demonstration.

Although Mr Ayisi-Boateng has retracted and apologised for saying he will always put the interest of members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) first above all other Ghanaians, ASEPA said the apology is not enough.

ASEPA believes Mr Ayisi-Boateng’s comment, despite the apology, clearly shows “if you don't belong to his political party, you are not his priority.”

The Alliance has therefore described the apology as “sheer hypocrisy” which cannot be accepted because Mr Ayisi-Boateng stood by his statement for 72 hours.

The Alliance, in a statement, said: “Today in the UK, the Defense Secretary (Minister of Defense), Michael Fallon, has resigned from his job due to 'sex pest' allegations, an action that may have happened 15 years ago. This shows that as public officials, apart from your conduct while in office, past conducts can also affect public respect for your esteemed office, that is why people in such sensitive positions must come with some level of dignity and integrity. Ambassador Ayisi-Boateng therefore, by his comments, has outlived the basic requirements for such a high office.”

“We therefore call on the President to within 48 hours, terminate the appointment of High Commissioner Ayisi-Boateng. His continuous stay in office will have serious implications for us as a country, not only socio-politically, but economically as well,” the statement added.

ASEPA noted that if the President fails to heed to their call to sack the embattled High Commissioner, “then he must be prepared for the biggest demonstration that is yet to hit his government since January”.

Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has said Mr Ayisi-Boateng’s apology should put the matter to rest.