Founder of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), former President Jerry John Rawlings, has condemned the recent comments of presidential hopeful, Alban Bagbin, which have been widely derided as discriminatory.
Mr. Bagbin, the Nadwoli Kaleo MP, told delegates in the Volta Region that the appointment of Dr. Edward Omane Boamah and Dr. Henry Seidu Danaa as Minister for Communications and Minister for Chieftaincy respectively, contributed to the NDC’s election defeat because the former was a stammerer, and the latter was visually impaired.
But in a statement from his office, Mr. Rawlings is quoted as saying “such utterances have the tendency to negatively affect the unity and cohesion of the party.”
The NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has assured that the party will look into the comments by Mr. Bagbin, one of the longest-serving members of the party.
Having already warned aspirants to ensure a clean campaign, Mr. Asiedu Nketia said the NDC was “taking steps to ensure that regulations will be [respected].”
He also said “the various structures will look at all these issues and take the appropriate steps… when we talk about structures, some of them will do investigations, some of them will do fact-finding. If there is evidence, some of them will sit on it.”
The National Organizer of the NDC, Kofi Adams, has also said Mr. Bagbin must take full responsibility for his utterances.
“As a political party, the NDC, we disassociate ourselves from such comments and we don’t believe in comments that are discriminatory. So Mr. Bagbin would have to carry his cross and bear his responsibility about what he has said which these persons [persons with disability] believe must not be made by someone of his stature. It is not a party-sponsored position that is why the party has given the opportunity to such persons in society… That is possibly his belief and so he should be dealt with….and he is capable of responding to all these.”
Bagbin must resign
An NDC Deputy National Communications Officer hopeful, Jacob Atule Adongo, called for Mr. Bagbin’s immediate resignation.
Mr. Adongo, who is visually impaired, also demanded an apology.
“He [Alban Bagin] has disappointed me and has made comments that I think must lead him to resign as an MP and deputy speaker and apologize to all persons with disability.”
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Source: Citinewsroom.com
