Opinions of Monday, 4 May 2015

Columnist: Adofo, Rockson

Is NPP General Secretary Kwabena Agyepong a Liability or an Asset to the Party?

Mr Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, the son of a mother from Asokore-Mampong and a father from Effiduase-Oyoko, both in the Ashanti region, is today going to be analytically dissected to tell whether he is an asset or a liability to the cause of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). In my previous publications, I have proudly referred to him as my son, the fact he was born to a father, the late Accra High Court Justice Agyepong, who belonged to the same Agona Clan as me, and moreover, I was the best of friends with his father's nephew, the late Kwame Nyame (Emmanuel Marfo).

Many a Ghanaian knew, or is aware, how the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) now morphed into the current National Defence Council (NDC) presided over by former President Jeremiah John Rawlings, murdered Justice Agyepong in cold blood on 30 June 1982.

Yes, the nation and the entire family of the late Justice Agyepong have forgiven the perpetrators of that heinous crime, the discovery of which forced cold chill down the spine of many that heard it, with some getting goose bumps. However, least did anyone expect to see Kwabena dining with them, strange bedfellows in campaign for permanent peace in Ghana, let alone, conniving with them to guarantee the perpetual relegation of NPP, his own party, to opposition.

It is now the public perception, of which I share, that he is colluding with the NDC, upon all their deplorable failures, to ensure they (NDC) win election 2016.

Since he became the General Secretary of the NPP, through the financial support offered him unreservedly by Honourable Kennedy Agyapong, the Member of Parliament for Assin Central Constituency, and the majority votes cast for him by NPP delegates, he has turned his back on the people. An adage goes, "do not bite the finger that feeds you", but Kwabena is biting it hard, if not already bitten that very finger.

Since he assumed the mantle of NPP General Secretary, there have been numerous instances of NDC party and members behaving untowardly and criminally that he should have challenged them as the Secretary of the largest opposition party in Ghana, but he does completely nothing. This is not just a blank incomprehension but intentional act of wickedness and purposeful sabotage.

Is he not an enemy within the NPP? Is he not alleged to have accepted a very luxurious car from Ibrahim Mahama, the younger brother of President Mahama? When he was challenged, could he provide the papers certifying where he bought the car from? NO! It is again alleged he has been purchased a house in London, United Kingdom, by the NDC.

Let us assume all these are unfounded allegations hence have to be debunked. What about his lackadaisical attitude, or deliberate failure, to challenge the NDC when they come out with their usual nonsensical trickeries meant to pull wool over Ghanaians' eyes; underestimating our intelligence, taxing our patience? What about his dictatorial posture at the NPP headquarters, strangely taking his own decisions and imposing them on the party, but in all instances, acting in bad faith?

He is apparently a saboteur, looking from his persistent behaviour that is inimical to the objectives of an opposition political party determined to wrestle power from an incumbent government.

It is said, one bad nut spoils the lot. When eating say, peanuts (groundnuts), scooping a handful and throwing them into your mouth, and there happens to be a rotten one among them in the course of chewing, what do you do? You naturally spit the whole lot out. Any doubting- Thomas can try this at home.

Now here is a case where Mr Kwabena Agyepong, voted for, and paid, by, NPP from the monthly membership dues is maliciously working against the collective interests of not only the party, but also, all the economically suffering masses in Ghana who are hoping for a change of government in Ghana come 2016 general elections.

He is at the secretariat, although in disguise, to pursue the alleged infamous AGENDA 2020, hatched and spearheaded by some selfishly greedy, malevolent, callous and myopic NPP gurus with their agents and assigns.

Why should we as NPP members continue to employ someone whose daily actions do clearly serve as evidence that he has not the best interests of the party at heart, but his hidden devious agenda?

I am very angry at his alleged forceful replacement of Mr Mac Manu by himself on the Committee for Electoral Reforms. One will remember the Ghana Supreme Court requested electoral reforms to avoid the repetition of the mistakes that culminated in the determination of Election 2012 presidential results by the court.

The fact the General Secretary of NDC, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah alias General Mosquito, was elected to sit on the panel as his party's representative did not necessarily mean Kwabena Agyepong, a complete novice in electoral reforms, must obligatorily represent NPP. It was not a game for party General Secretaries but those with the knowhow, honesty, dedication and dynamism to effect the needed changes.

Collusive character as he is suspected to be, he did not raise questions about the dubiously, but purposefully bloated voters register by Dr Afari Gyan and his outfit, the very concern of every honest Ghanaian, especially NPP members, yearning for fair and free elections for Ghana in 2016. He agreed on maintaining that register, lopsidedly known to favour NDC. If this fact stays as alleged, what else do we need to know about him before confirming that he is a saboteur resolutely determined to ensure the defeat of NPP, especially, Nana Akufo Addo, in 2016 elections?

I once read a book titled, "Exploiting your Unlimited Potentials". In this book, it was written, "When you see that someone's pasture is greener, it means he has carefully tended it". It was trying to encourage the reader to take good care of any opportunity that presents itself, to make the better out of it regardless the circumstances. If you take good care of, it can become better and as greener as the pasture in question.

Why do we then as members of NPP sit down unconcerned when Kwabena Agyepong by his selfish motives is driving NPP into a ditch?

In the same book, it states, "When you want to acquire wealth as an investor running shops, pray that the members of the communities where the shops are or will be, get money or get richer" The writer says the more they get money, the stronger their purchasing power becomes to enable them patronise your shops or give the shops their regular patronage. The more they buy from your shop, the greater your profit becomes and the greater your profit is, the richer you get.

Contrarily, the Ghanaian has a totally different perspective to the writer's. He or she wants to be the only rich person in their family or community while all others get poorer in order to be able to control them. This Ghanaian mind-set is evil. That is why we continually suffer as a people and a nation.

Relating this to the shameful attitude of Kwabena Agyepong, if truly he is working against NPP from within, then he is a typical Ghanaian as far as the statements from the book go. He wants to enrich himself materially at the expense of the entire suffering Ghanaian masses.

Look at the completely difficult economic situation Ghanaians find themselves in, brought about by the corruption, incompetence, nepotism and cluelessness of President Mahama and his government. Yet, Kwabena Agyepong wants them to retain power because of his Agenda 2020 that borders on greediness, selfishness and pure evilness to scupper the chance of Nana Akufo Addo, the biblical David of our time, winning Election 2016 to save Ghana from drifting further into an abyss by President Mahama and his NDC government.

From the little said above, how do you as a reader judge Kwabena Agyepong? We cannot continue to pay our monthly dues while he deliberately does things to render our efforts useless. Therefore, we have to initiate moves or processes to get rid of him from his position. He is one bad nut that should not under the Sun, the Moon and the Stars be allowed to spoil our chances of winning election 2016 to alleviate the sufferings faced by about 99% of Ghanaians under the current NDC administration.

Rockson Adofo