News:
March 8, 2011
The Member of Parliament for Okere Dan Kweku Botwe, says the absence of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) officials at the 54th Independence anniversary celebration on 6th March 2011 in Accra on Sunday cannot be said to be a deliberate boycott of the event.
Government is accusing the opposition NPP of deliberately boycotting the 54th Independent celebrations, despite an official invitation.
According to the Deputy Minister of Information Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, checks at the State Protocol Department, the outfit with the statutory mandate to handle invitations for such an occasion indicated that the invitations were signed for by one Kojo Opare Hammond on the 28th of February, 2011- one clear week before the event.
The NPP General Secretary Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie had earlier stated that the party received the invitation very late on Friday 4th March, at a time he had left the office- a situation he described as “no invitation for which reason they could not attend.
However speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana show on Tuesday, the Member of Parliament for Okere, and former General Secretary of the NPP, Dan Botwe states that though the absence of the leading opposition party (NPP) from the event is very unfortunate, their non attendance can be attributed to an administrative lapse at the party Headquarters which happens occasionally.
“I have worked in the party national office before and you realize that sometimes one receives a letter on your behalf and keeps it, he remembers to hand it over to you only when an issue concerning the letter comes up.’’ He said.
He notes that the NPP will never deliberately boycott such a national event as it will not serve their interest in any way.
Hon. Dan Botwe, added that he expects the Steering Committee of the NPP to quickly deliberate over the issue and finally come out with an appropriate response.
Story by: Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh