The “Politics of Pretence” and lack of exemplary leadership: The dilemma of Ketu-North Constituency- NDC.



There is an anonymous quote that “the NDC can only be destroyed by friendly fire”, or will shoot itself in the foot if it is to die. Though these assertions had been debunked time and again, there continues to be shreds of evidence of these possibilities not only at the top echelon of the party, but even down to constituency level e.g. herein Ketu-North.



Keen political observers will admit of continuing problems within the NDC party in ketu-north over the last two years; but though all the problems may be linked together, the issues raised here relate to the selection of constituency leadership of the party. And unfortunately, the regional executives have simply turned blind eyes to the cancer whiles it persists! One point this writer realises, whiles analysing how come the problem is not seeing solution is the fact that the Regional Party Chairman, Mr. Kwesi Aboagye engaged in conspiracies with the MP- James Avedzi to organise the said election which was meant to put in position as Moses Azaglo and this was on the ......; and this act of Aboagye’s engagement has tied-down his hands vis-à-vis the fracas ensuing in the constituency. In fact, this said election which the writer best describes as “419” had even been denied at the Denu high court, which currently is hearing a suit by one Freedom Gbologa against the MP-James Avedzi, Moses Azaglo the usurper chairman et al.But interestingly these same people, led by the MP Avedzi who denied holding this “419 election” in court (date) continue projecting themselves and are patronised in certain quarters as executives; so the question is how did they get elected? Where is the sense of electoral logic in especially regional party administration?



To trace the history of the current party leadership problems briefly, this writer will conveniently start from 2005. After constituency executive elections that year, one Mr. Arthur Azakpo was duly elected constituency chairman as against Moses Azaglo, then incumbent challenger. And Hon. Arthur Azakpo won alongside a newly elected secretary, organiser etc. The new MP Mr.James Avedzi,in a most controversial manner maintained all his dealings with key members of the extinct executives of the time led by Moses Azaglo,his best friend; thereby creating more or less a parallel leadership situation. But dedication and commitment to the course of the NDC, sustained the new duly elected leadership since then to party affairs till victory in December 2008_despite all avoidable challenges the MP’s conduct posed. This writer will state on authority that Hon. James Avedzi since the start of the Mills Presidency never consulted the party executives for anything but dictated every little detail of jobs and positions together with Moses Azaglo his best friend, over the period the Volta Regional Minister- Joseph Amenowode was overseeing affairs in ketu north; and this was because the assembly had rejected Moses Azaglo;the MP’s preferred choice for DCE.It is worth stating that the MP Avedzi continues to refer to Hon. Kofi Lawson the Ketu-North DCE, who was later nominated by H.E the President and approved by the Ketu North District Assembly as “your DCE” anytime he needs to refer to him. Then came the 2009 constituency delegates conference to elect executives and Moses Azaglo was again moved by James Avedzi to stand for chairman; after failing to secure assembly votes to be DCE in 2009. Unfortunately for him, there was/is a problem of his party membership card been tempered with, in other words doctored; for which reason there was a motion to reject his application to contest the chairmanship; based on material evidence with a case made for investigations into the card and other issues raised. In fact there were allegations that Moses Azaglo continued to issue membership cards whiles out of office. At the end of that day of “chaos in Dzodze”, there was an agreement to form a committee to look into the matter properly before the elections could be held. Since that day, there had never been any such agreed committee formed, nor the matter called at any forum whether at the constituency, regional nor national levels of the party; only for the MP to arrange a “shadow electoral conference” weeks after, in his village using an unsigned delegates list; with misplaced backing of Mr. Kwesi Aboagye (then Acting Regional Party Chairman) and Ms. Bertha Amenuvor (Deputy NDC Treasurer). It is that controversial group of Avedzi’s cronies gathered then and who are just a small portion of the constituency divide who now carry themselves around as “constituency executives”. The funny part of it all is how the “Honourable MP” quite recently has started organising funeral receptions for his small group of usurper executives during funerals and yet try to use his gangs to snatch contributions from other party faithful gathered for same programmes; but with clear independent programs set-out which fall in-line with party conventions on such occasions; all in his desperate bid to boost his popularity which has lost grounds miserably. The Honourable MP has shown he is most divisive and has refused to change his approach to party faithfuls and he is not a good example to say the least. He does not acknowledge any work by the proper executives nor activists of the party; who all sacrificed their blood and assets to see the NDC in government today.



It is also right to highlight the fact that various people helped build the NDC in ketu-north and the Volta Region till date; sacrificing everything at their disposal over the years. We are aware of manipulations even at the presidency against people who have equally toiled for this party to succeed today. This writer will urge the President and his political committee of the NDC to re-visit the issue of ketu-north thoroughly, once and for all and develop a lasting solution to the problems there. If our party is to grow, we must not make room for discrimination based on parochial interests and we must appreciate and properly reward hard work. We must make room for the views of our people, otherwise the NDC will soon realise that human as we are, some of us also cherish our interest and can forget “consensus building” entirely. This writer wishes to request that the MP-James Avedzi be brought to order immediately regarding his conducts within the ketu-north NDC, which we had built before he came in 2004.He is disrespectful generally and careless of the unity and concerns of other “important people” in a larger party and he boasts of his moneys made on the legislator/finance committee job whiles in parliament; just like he allegedly did telling Assemblymen of Ketu-North he could buy them with his three months salary. The NDC National Executive should form a credible team to re-visit the issues herein Ketu-North and conduct legitimate elections to people for our party.



Writer: O’Brian Mawuena Dzaka (NDC Activist, Ketu-North) Email: Obraindzaka@yahoo.com