The NDC\nProfessional Forum International is calling for the immediate resignation of\nGhana\u2019s Foreign Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey for her injudicious conduct\nin parliament which resulted in a near brawl with colleagues from the minority;\na video of which went viral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The\ncommotion by the Foreign Minister followed revelations by the Ranking Member of\nthe Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa which sought\nto seek clarification on a shady deal by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a\nbuilding in Norway to be used as a chancery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The altercation in the foyer of Parliament on Monday,\nbetween the Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam George, and the\nForeign Affairs Minister who was heard raining insult at her colleague received\nmissed reactions on social media.
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\nThe Foreign Affairs Minister was addressing some Minority MPs explaining the\nMinistry\u2019s budgeted expenditure on the Chancery when she ostensibly heard Sam\nGeorge making catcalls and taking a video record of her engagement with\nOkudzeto Ablakwa and some minority MPs. The Minister was however held back by\nher security detail averting a possible brawl. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
President of\nthe NDC Professionals Forum International, Arnold Appiah says, \u201cI\u2019m highly\nembarrassed about our foreign minister. I recall how she was criticized when\nshe was nominated for the position on the grounds that it\u2019s too big for her. I\nbelieve this video has proven critics right! A portfolio that has been handled\nby high profile individuals such as Hon. Hannah Tetteh who is currently working\nin a top position in the UN. A foreign minister is supposed to be a diplomat\nand it appears there\u2019s a sharp contrast. She needs to resign for her\nundiplomatic and unprofessional conduct. You can\u2019t represent a nation with so\nmuch potentials in such a fashion\u201d. Mr Appiah speaking for the forum from his\nUS base said the NDC Professionals support the call for a presidential probe, prompted\nby the minority caucus in parliament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At\na media encounter with the President on Wednesday, there was an anticipation of\na decision of the Presidency to probe the matter following the expose\u2019 by the\nminority in parliament but Ms. Ayokor Botchwey was given the platform to repeat what she had already said in\nthe media, that no monies have been disbursed. Government has brushed the\nrevelations as mere allegations and that a probe cannot be formed when there is\nno evidence that the transaction had taken place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But Mr. Appiah believes the botched purchase of what he called an opulent and grossly\nover-priced piece of property in Oslo for use as a chancery and residence of\nthe Ghana ambassador is an act that sums up the essence of the governing New Patriotic\nParty under Nana Akufo Addo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said it\nis a demonstration of the intense, even tone-deaf, insensitivity of the NPP\nadministration to the plight of ordinary Ghanaians and speaks to the level of\ncorruption that has become systemic and endemic of the government. \u201cLife has become increasingly difficult for\npeople but the government can waste the nation’s foreign exchange, loot some of\nit and shortchange the people at every turn. This government is the very\nembodiment of the create, loot and share mentality which it erroneously tagged\nthe previous administration\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He further\nlaments that the state cannot provide decent accommodations for school children\nbut can afford this opulent, overpriced, piece of property for an Embassy and fight\nwith MPs who blow the whistle on the activities of people whose actions amount\nto financial malfeasance, gross dereliction of duty and corruption of the\nhighest order. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Hon\nMinister of Foreign Affairs who has been exposed as complicit or at best\nincompetent and dishonest and is fighting people who have exposed this\ncorruption should apologize to the nation and tender her resignation. If the\nNPP is building its war chest for the 2020 elections, it should be put on\nnotice that its activities will be monitored closely. A government that\ncampaigned on rooting out corruption has become the very embodiment of\ncorruption\u201d. Mr. Appiah said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"