Should Gen Sec. Be Blamed For The Disparaging Things His Acolytes Write On Facebook? Karbo Wonders

Former National Youth Organiser of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Anthony Abeyifa Karbo says if majority of the executives are against a decision made by Chairman Paul Afoko and Kwabena Agyepong, the General Secretary, �they should know that there is something wrong with their form of communication.� Perry Okudjeto�s leave The decision to ask the acting Director of Communications, Perry Okudzeto to proceed on a two-year leave has not been welcomed by majority of the executives and other kingpins of the NPP; culminating into a media war. Speaking to this issue in a panel discussion on Peace FM morning show �Kokrokoo�, Karbo said there is no way asking one to go on leave will be practical in �party business� because �there is always active work taking place�. �I never went on leave when I was an executive because the nature of our work is such that there is active work going on 24/7. Leave does not come in�If it is the view of the party for Perry to go on leave, there must be consultation or discussion amongst the executives� In any case why should there be leave in a political party?� he wondered. According to him, �in political matters, you cannot say I�I; I did this, I am in charge of that and so on. If you do that you have lost it even if you are the General Secretary or the chairman of the party. As a head you have other parts that make up the body; that is what makes up the national secretariat. These things must stop. �.reason for Perry�s leave The General Secretary (GS), on the same platform a few days back, had indicated that Perry was asked to go on leave because he refused to raise the standard at the communication department by disciplining executives under him who were not doing their work as expected. However, Karbo described this assertion by the party�s Chief Scribe as unfortunate. According to him, no one should pay for the sins of others; �people must take responsibility for their own actions�. �That was a very unfortunate comment. There are people in the GS office who are on facebook insulting presidential candidates, parliamentary candidates and members of this party; can I also blame the General Secretary for this? Let�s be very clear on these things. People must take personal responsibility for their actions. NPP sponsored Perry to study communications abroad and he now has his masters. Perry needs support from other people to run the communication in the NPP and so if we want to strengthen the party�s communication, there should be broad consultation because there are so many young people in the party who can help in doing the work,� he added. Clearance for party communicators Mr Agyepong, in that same interview a few days ago disclosed that due to new arrangements taking place at the party headquarters, the newly appointed deputy directors of communication will be in charge of communication in the party and alluded to the fact that he will be in charge of appointing communicators to the various media houses. In reaction, Karbo intimated �are you telling me that until the General Secretary gives me clearance, I can�t go to a radio station or any media house to speak to issues? Is that what is going to happen in this party? You should be able to speak to any issue once you are called upon as a party member. These things should not be happening�� Meanwhile, the Council of Elders of the NPP, has ordered a ceasefire between factions within the National Executive and Steering Committees of the party. At an emergency meeting held Thursday the factions were also charged to work together for the betterment of the party and desist from any further media war. �All Party Officers, Functionaries and Communicators should desist from making public statements relating to current internal party issues�The Council of Elders directed that the embargo on press statements also include the electronic and social media and that anyone who violates this stipulation will be subject to the full application of the Party�s disciplinary procedures�.