Muntaka Stages Come Back

WITH LESS than two years to end his constitutionally mandated term, President Mills has promised to re-appoint former Youth and Sports Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak to serve in another ministry. It is not clear when the president will re-hire the former minister who was ordered to proceed on leave while allegations of corruption against him were investigated or the specific ministry he will be asked to work at. Confirming the promise in an exclusive interview at his office on Wednesday, Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak denied that President Mills had vowed never to re-assign him to serve the nation because of his past record. According to the Asawase MP, who is Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health, President Mills has sat with him and asked him to remain calm with a promise of making him minister before 2012. He feels the president might have considered appointing him because he is energetic, strong and possesses relevant skills and other ministerial qualities that can help his administration execute the better Ghana agenda. Muntaka said he is always prepared to serve the nation and is waiting on President Mills to announce his second ministerial appointment. According to the Asawase MP, he has learnt that being a leader is a dangerous activity which requires that one try to get everybody on board and learn to appreciate the fact that not everybody who laughs with you actually loves you. He warned Ghanaian politicians particularly leading members of opposition parties to be cautious of what they say in public. The MP pointed out that most information propagated by people in opposition parties including the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) while in opposition were inaccurate. He added that most statistics and so-called facts that opposition parties feed to the people cannot be said to be the best since it is difficult obtaining accurate information while in opposition. Meanwhile, Alhaji Muntaka has confirmed seeking re-election as MP for Asawase for the NDC the 2012 elections. Two persons, Mustapha Ahmed, a brother of Musa Ahmed, former MP for the area and one Lawyer Anis are said to be testing the political waters of the constituency to contest the incumbent MP in the forthcoming primaries. The MP however told Daily Guide he is least perturbed about the decision of the duo to contest him-�primaries don�t scare me at all because I am confident of winning the seat again.� He threatened to institute legal action against any person or group of persons that will capitalize on the corruption allegation against him while serving as minister with the aim to defame him since he has been cleared of any wrongdoing by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ). According to the MP, the major challenge facing him is the uncompleted Akwatia Line, New Zongo, Asokore Mampong and several other road projects in the constituency. He said drains for these projects have long been completed but lack of funds has slowed down their successful completion. He appealed to the people to remain calm as efforts are being made to get the roads tarred. �I see this as a serious challenge. About six months ago I brought the sector minister, Hon. Joe Gidisu down to the constituency to see for himself the problems I have,� he said. Even before Muntaka begins any serious campaigning, a group known as the NDC Zongo Caucus at Asawase has declared its full support for him. The group in a statement issued in Kumasi signed by its Deputy PRO, Farouk Muniru called for the MP to be allowed to contest the seat unopposed. It commended Muntaka for building classroom blocks and making the effort to meet with his constituents often to listen to their problems and trying to solve them.