<<Print>>

An elder of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and former chairman of the Tema East Constituency, Mr Ken Obeng-Fosu, has condemned in very strong terms what he termed as “the inferior propaganda tactics” being employed by some members of the party to lobby for various positions for their favourites.

Using the race for the seat of the Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive as an example, Mr Obeng-Fosu said the kind of publications being churned out in the media in recent times were not only outrageous but “old-fashioned Communist inferior tactics”.

Speaking to The Finder in an exclusive interview yesterday, he said it had come to his notice that some people, in their determination to get their cronies to occupy certain positions in government, were resorting to all kinds of schemes just to attract the attention of the party’s top hierarchy.

“The other day I read that some two people had been shortlisted for the position of MCE of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA). That is a palpable lie. That is pure propaganda.

“The process does not work that way. You have to pick forms from the constituency level, submit it through the regional level to the national level.

“From there, the views of opinion leaders are sought before an initial short-listing is done. Thereafter, the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) are brought in and after a thorough work on each candidate, they submit their report to the national headquarters for a final decision to be taken and a report forwarded to the seat of government or the Presidency, if you like.

“As I speak to you, the BNI are in the concluding stages of their work and I can say with authority that no two persons have been shortlisted for the position. That is pure propaganda and it must be stopped immediately before it puts our dear party in bad light in the eyes of right-thinking members of society”.

Mr Obeng-Fosu was equally livid about another publication which sought to portray that he had thrown his weight behind one Mr Ishmael Anum Mensah for the position of the Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive.

“In a letter to the President, one Kwesi Nyonyo, a member of the NPP in Tema East said, among other things, I, Obeng-Fosu, had fully endorsed the said Ishmael Mensah but I want to make it categorically clear that my friend Nyonyo is being economical with the truth.

“I cannot stop anybody from lobbying. But, for goodness sake, let us do so with some level of decorum. Why would you want to put words in somebody’s mouth to gain political advantage?”

“As for me, my prayer is that the President, in his own wisdom, chooses the right person, who can translate the party’s many lofty dreams – the one district, one factory etc – into reality.

“And if you push me, I will settle for a woman because I sincerely believe that we have some very good women candidates in the race who can deliver the party’s agenda”.