The 2016 flagbearer of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Dr. Edward Nasigri Mahama, says his new position as an Ambassador-at-large under the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) administration, will afford him an opportunity to serve Ghana.
“We practice democracy even in the PNC; and people are entitled to their opinions about this issue. But I know quite clearly that if I had declined those submissions, those who said I should have declined would say that I only want to be president. I am quite clear in my conscience that he has appointed me ambassador of Ghana not of the PNC or the NPP.”
“I am taking this position because the president thinks that there are specific things he wants me to do…whenever he asks me to do I will do it to the glory of God and the president. Anybody who said I shouldn’t do anything for Ghana because my party is not in power I don’t agree with them,” he added in a interview on Tuesday.
Dr. Mahama had been criticized by some members of the PNC including his own Chairman, Bernard Mornah, who insisted that he [Mahama] should have declined the position offered him by President Nana Akufo-Addo as a matter of principle.
The five-time flagbearer of the PNC was sworn in on Monday by the President together with 21 others who have been assigned to other countries.
Bernard Mornah argued Dr. Mahama turned down similar aappointments in the past, and also suspended Mallam Issah and Ambrose Dery as well as others who took up appointments in past NDC and NPP governments.
But Dr. Mahama discounted the claims describing them as “outright lies.”
“He [Bernard Mornah] is speaking out of ignorance, malice or outright lies. In fact, I proposed Ambrose Dery to go into the NPP government. Moses Daniba served under the NPP government; I never chaired a meeting to expel any of them so what he is saying are outright lies.”
“What I did not do in 2000 was that I would not serve as a vice president unless it was a party to party agreement. A vice president is serving under a particular manifesto that the candidate puts up in the year he is elected. Ambassador is ambassador for Ghana, there is a difference.”
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(Via: CitiFM Online Ghana)
