National Youth Organizer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) Sammy Awuku has condemned the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Robert Ahomka-Lindsay for seemingly accusing diasporans of being whiners.
Sammy Awuku found the comments made by the Deputy Minister during a Diaspora Homecoming Summit in Accra disparaging, saying it suggested that the Deputy Minister is insensitive to the plight of Ghanaians.
According to him, Hon. Ahomka-Lindsay and any other government appointee owes the NPP supporters and citizens a duty and a responsibility to perform.
The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, addressing a gathering at the Diaspora Homecoming Summit at the Accra International Conference Centre last Thursday warned the disaporans to stop "whining" about things not working in the country.
“Nobody likes whiners, people that spend all the time whining all the time really get on people’s nerves so stop whining, stop this doesn’t work, this doesn’t work, if its worked you probably wouldn’t be sitting there,” the Deputy Minister said.
But an investor who found the Minister's comment ‘insulting’ replied, saying ‘yes we have the money and we have the expertise, we came here to sit with policy makers and formulate policies and integrate us into society, where are the decision makers?, they are nowhere near here…this arrogance and attitudes must stop, who travels 3,000 miles to be a whiner?’.
Addressing the Deputy Minister's remarks on Peace FM's Kokrokoo, Sammy Awuku advised him and all appointees to watch their tongue when speaking to Ghanaians.
“There will always be time you won’t get it right because you’re a person. But you shouldn’t deliberately get it wrong. You wouldn’t always get it right but you shouldn’t deliberately get it wrong", he stressed.
According to him, communication is irreversible and so if a person makes an irresponsible statement; all he/she can do is to "apologize for it but you can’t reverse it”.
Sammy Awuku therefore advised the Deputy Minister to reflect the modesty of President Nana Akufo-Addo.
“You can’t say people are complaining too much. Who should they complain to? If you can’t pick your calls, give your phone to the President so he will pick the calls for you and tell the President that you want to focus on your work because he knows you can multi-task, that’s why he gave you the job...This is direct to the appointees. You’re the representatives of the President. I’m saying you won’t always get it right but don’t deliberately get it wrong. And when you get it wrong, it takes the greatest person on earth to apologize”.
"I haven’t made my mind to go to opposition now. Truth needs to be told…So, the appointees should also reflect the modesty of the party", he said.
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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Please you guys should stop asking Sammy Awuku and others to watch the full clip at the summit. Watch it for what? Were some people at the summit complaining at his Whining comment at the summit? Did they go home to watch the video before expressing their disappointment at Lindsay's whining comment? Lindsay is very ***barred word*** ***barred word*** even more when you watch him fully in the full video. Do we need this attitude in governance? I would sack him if I am the President.
I have just heard a lady condemning Kwame Amoh of Okay FM & Peace FM. I have tried so hard to call into this programme but those of us abroad don't get the chance. This is so unfair on Kwame. I can tell the lady who spoke is a church member of Rev Badu Kobi hence was not happy about Kwame carrying out the news about what Rev Badu Kobi said. But the lady must know that whatever was said on the news was a reported speech of Rev Badu Kobi himself. So where did Kwame go wrong? Or he reading people's text messages? He just read the news. Get a clear conscience woman because God judges motives. You are just calling to down the guy's spirit but it won't work because some of us listen to Okay & Peace FMs because of people like Kwame Amoh and Kwabena Marfo. You can't get what you only want on Radio.
Ahomka is disgracing the NPP, if he can't do the job he must quite period. You this guy Anim is also talking rub bish. "Ghanaians living abroad are funny" Come and live here and see if we are just funny here. Do you understand the adage " travel and see?" Travel to elsewhere abroad and you will agree with us here that most of our leaders home are nothing so far as governance is concerned.
I think the Hon. Minister and all government appointees should heed to the advise of Sammy Awuku. Similar incident happened when a substantive minister was on tour. These coupled with improper accountability etc. sent the NDC to opposition. As an appointee/leader in any institution, you are there to serve the good people of Ghana, and to project the image of our motherland. Also, I think the minister for supervision, monitoring, and evaluation should be on top of his job.
If somebody tells you to stop whining (granted he said that), Is that an insult? And we should sack a minister for this? Some of the Ghanaians living abroad are funny are really funny. You live in london and so what? Travelling abroad is not an achievement so stop disturbing us. We are tired of this n.on.sense!
I think Akuffo Addo need to set a sample by removing this ***barred word*** deputy minister Ahomka Lindsey for others to know that he mean business. l have arranged medical Doctors from imperial college hospital nhs in Hammersmith Hospital Trust London UK to come and do 5 days training in Ghana for Korle-bu, 37 military hospital, Ridge hospital and Komfo Anokye hospital. Which we are in the process of finalising, but when most of the doctors who are Ghanaians heard what had happened they are asking if things will work when they embark on the trip?
NANA ADDO SHOULD SACK HIM. HE'S TOO ARROGANT FOR MY LIKING. IF YOU'RE IN POSITION AND CAN'T TAKE COMPLAINTS THEN YOU BETTER BACK OFF AND LET THOSE WHO CAN TAKE THE SEAT. THERE ARE SO MANY PROBLEMS OUT THERE SO WE SHOULD EXPECT PEOPLE TO WHINE! THIS DEP MINISTER IS NOT FIT TO LEAD PEOPLE. IS IT BECAUSE OF THE RUBBISHHHHHH ROADS AND BRIDGES YOU PEOPLE HAVE BEEN BUILDING OR ITS THE OPEN GUTTERS FLOODING THE WHOLE NATION?? STUPIDDDDDD MAN! SACK HIM NANA ADDO SO HE CAN SLEEP WELL AND NOT HEAR PEOPLE WHINE.
Efo Mawuli, I regret to say you're lost. No government officials worth their salt can describe any group of Ghanaians as whinning. Were they begged to enter government?
We should all mindful of what we read in the media these days. Most of our journalist are functional illiterates and will take one line out of a whole speech and sensationalize it. Sammy should go back and listen to what Mr. Lindsay in full before commenting. Perhaps Sammy could help explain why foreigners are investing in Ghana while Ghanaians leaving abroad are content with sending money via western union to their relatives. The system is not perfect like everywhere else in the world but Diasporans need to take some risks. If Dangote can enter the cement market in Ghana why can't a Ghanaian? Let's dream big and stop whining.
WHAT DID THIS LINDSAY MAN RETURN TO GHANA WITH? HAS HE SET UP A BUSINESS AND EMPLOYED YOUNG GHANAIAN? WHAT IS HIS BASIS FOR BEING AT THE TRADE MINISTRY OR WAS IT JOB FOR THE BOYS. ARROGANCE AND BLATANT EGO IS NOT WHAT WE NEED IN GHANA NOW. WE HAVE ROLLED UP OUR SLEEVES AND WORKING HARD TO SURVIVE SO THIS ATTITUDE OF THIS LINDSAY GUY SHOULD BE THE LAST IN THIS REGIME OR WHOEVER SHOULD BE FIRED.