Diaspora News of Friday, 28 January 2011

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NASARA Club is tarnishing the National Chief Imam’s Image – NDC NY.

After receiving total condemnations on their first ever article published on ghanaweb titled “Prez. Atta Mills shuns Chief Imam” on Dec 19, 2010, the NASARA CLUB have continued their negative propaganda by re-publishing the same article on a New York based African paper, African’s Abroad. Unfortunately this paper is another irresponsible media channel which carries story that misinform the African communities in the Diaspora particularly New York. On January 15, 2011, the African’s Abroad carried three stories in the Ghana News column of the paper, page #6. As part of the stupidity of its management or editors, two of its stories “Nana Okokyeredom Owoahene elected Asantefuohene of New York” and “President Mills is indeed corrupt” had no Authors’ whilst the mysterious NASARA Club had their ludicrous article publish below these two articles listed above. What is interesting about African’s Abroad is that, though it is a Nigerian led Newspaper credible source says it is a Pro-NPP of Ghana paper among others in the African Communities Abroad. One other recent act of stupidity of the Africans Abroad News paper was committed on its news about Ghana’s vice presidents nomination of for the Golden Star of Africa Award. The story on this subject carried the picture of the current VP John Dramani Mahama and had the name of the Former VP Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Ref. (http://africanabroadusa.net/ed101508/ghana01.html). These are just examples of the many misled stories that the Africans Abroad reports. This means that we will no longer be surprise to see a series of false agenda published by this news paper, particularly in collaboration with the NASARA club and its mother party, New Patriotic Party.
The facts about it is that, the NASARA club was formed by the opposition New Patriotic Party to counter the activities of the NDC- Zongo caucus and the YANKASA which they perceive to be an advocate for the ruling NDC. In the New York area for example, the NASARA Club have attempted to spread lies about the ruling NDC to the Ghanaian community and particularly within the Islamic community. Unfortunately, their attempts have failed in many circumstances. It is clear that recently the arrogant Kennedy Agyapong, a leading member of the NPP visited NASARA Club and participated in an event (wedding) of a member in New York, Bronx. During this event, the arrogant Kennedy Agyapong exhibited nothing but the power wealth which goes to reflect the arrogance and carelessness of the NPP’s descendants (NASARA).
On the NASARA club’s recent publication on ghanaweb and now African’s Abroad (January 15, 2011, page #6) accusing the President Mill’s administration of shunning the national chief Imam during the opening ceremony of Ghana’s prestigious oil. We wish to state that, this is a complete disrespect to the leadership and regional representatives of the National Chief Imam Sheikh Nuhu Sharabutu, on this occasion particularly, representatives of the Islamic community in the Western region of Ghana. What difference did it make if religious figures from Western Region represented various religious leaders particularly Sheikh Nuhu Sharabutu who at his age needs some rest and care hence does not need to be commuting to long distance trips that he can be represented? Also, does NASARA Club realize the number of religious heads that Ghana has? Are they implying that all these heads such as the Bishops, Priests, Pastors and Imams of the various groups should have all been given opportunity to attend? The members of NASARA clubs should be advised that even though it was the regime of the NDC administration that the title of Chief Imam was given to the Islamic community in Ghana, it is not a political body hence should not be tied to politics in Ghana. This is an attempt by NASARA Club to blemish the good image of the National Islamic leader and this is in facts a vivid display of ignorance and stupidity of the NASARA club in New York.
We believe that there are issues that the NASARA club, the supposed Muslim wings of the NPP should be making efforts to find meanings or solutions to make their party better rather than resorting to untruthful and dirty propaganda. One of such issues that we wish to draw their attention to is looking for the true history behind the formation of the NPP, hence the deliberate elimination of “DOMBO” from the list of its founders. They now call it the Danquah/Busia tradition and no more what it was “Danquah, Busia – Dombo tradition (Reference to the http://www.npp-ghana.org/index.php?categoryid=2). Have you ever asked yourself this question or even push an agenda to reinstate Dombo’s name? It is our hope that your findings does not reveal that it was done because of his relation to Islam.
Permit us to again advice that instead of participating in public political debate that is meant to Deeping Ghana’s democracy, NASARA Club should rather advocate to stop the corrupt act and activities going on in the office of the Chief Imam, a practice that run through the eight years NPP administration. No wonder majority of these members came to the United States through the office of the National Chief Imam Sheikh Nuhu Sharabutu who is not aware that some of his staff charges young people huge amounts of money to include them in his international trips. To mention just a few instances, during the chief Imam visit to the USA a couple of years ago, people were charged $10,000 for US visas while $8,000 was charge for Visa during the Chiefs Imams visit to Spain. These acts were all done without the knowledge of the Honorable Chief Imam. In fact, the Chief Imam is an honorable man and such conduct by a section of his office staff should not be accepted hence we wish to bring to the attention of the National Chief Imam Sheikh Nuhu Sharabutu of these illegal and corrupt acts of his staff.

Let us restate that, the NDC administration led by Professor J.E. Atta-Mills and H.E John Dramani Mahama will continue to do what is right for the majority of Ghanaians who believe in the Better Ghana Agenda by making Ghana the best place to be. Our parties ideology includes identifying and supporting the vulnerable and to ensure sustainable development in every society. We are therefore not willing to spend time debating issues that do not make sense in the sight of the good people of Ghana but rather keep our focus on cleaning the mess that was created by the NPP administration and building a new Ghana.

Moses Kanduri
General Secretary, NDC New York
moskandi1@yahoo.com