The former Minister of Food and Agriculture Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has criticized the leadership of the party for not putting measures in place to stop some happenings in the battle to choose the party’s presidential candidate for 2024 elections.
Engaging with JoyNews in an interview, the former Minister of Food and Agriculture, accused the party’s leadership of being fair in the treatment they offer some persons flouting the roles of the party; Dr. Akoto insists that some of the happenings in the campaign for the primaries show clear evidence no discipline in the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He believes the situation is pushing top officials of the party and the government to declare support for a certain contender without consequences, whiles those who openly declare their support for him and the other candidates face punishment.
Buttressing his point, Dr. Akoto alleged that contractors who openly declare support for some of the candidates in the presidential battle face discrimination.
“There is some sort of force being used – intimidation… those contractors who do not seem to be for this candidate are not paid when they complete their jobs. And they have taken huge sums of money from the banks and the interest rates are 35%, 40%. They are not paid and are being punished for supporting someone else.”
He said contractors who have done a job or a contract with the government are not paid, but contractors who declare for that particular candidate are paid.
In the current NPP presidential primaries, 10 people would be contesting and scheduled for August and November 2023.
The delegate conference would be held on August 26, 2023, to slash the number of contestants down to five while the main primaries would be held on November 4, 2023, to choose the party’s presidential candidate for the 2024 elections.
The 10 interested contestants are: former Minister of Railways Development, Joe Ghartey; Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia; a former Trade Minister, Alan Kyerematen; Kwadwo Poku, an energy expert; a former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto; a former General Secretary of the NPP, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong; MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong; a former MP for Offinso North, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku; and a former Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana
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