Communications Director of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Akomea, says the MP for Assin Central has been advised by the party to apologise to the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission for his disparaging comments.
He says the party did not only see the comment as “unfortunate” but also found it “regrettable” hence the decision to have Kennedy Agyapong apologized.
“The party has engaged him [Mr Agyapong] in the matter and the party has urged him to do the honourable thing,” he told Sampson Anyenini Lardi, host of Joy FM/MultiTV news analysis programme, Newsfile Saturday.
Mr Agyapong, while addressing some NPP faithful, accused the EC Chair Charlotte Osei of trading sex for her position
The comment triggered severe backlash from leading female politicians, gender activists with some calling on parliament to have the outspoken NPP MP punished. A demonstration was also organised by some NDC women peeved at the sex-for-job comment.
Executive Director of the Ark Foundation, Angela Dwamena Aboagye, described the comment made by the MP as “unacceptable.”
She believes this cast doubts on how the Mr Agyepong was able to become a Member of Parliament.
Editor-in-chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper, Kweku Baako, was convinced the MP’s comment denigrate both Parliament and the NPP as a whole. He says “It is not good PR or Public image for the party which Kennedy Agyapong belongs to.”
The MP’s party, the NPP, also came under severe attack with some persons accusing the flagbearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of countenancing the behavior of the Mr Agyapong.
Weeks later, the MP says his comment was a joke. Speaking on Adom FM, he said he was not expecting the media to hype it as it was done.
Mr Akomea says the NPP equally reprimanded the MP contrary to what is believed by some sections of Ghanaians.“There is no doubt this comment against women is terribly unfortunate,” he said.
He, however, believes the latest reaction of Mr Agyapong regarding the comment means he has regretted but says “I wish he would have done the honourable thing to apologise.”
Mr Akomea says the constant attack on women in the country cuts across political divides, adding, it is about time something was done about it.
Lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) Business School, Dr Jemima Nunoo, could not comprehend why the MP will brush his comment as a joke.
“Some jokes are too expensive,” she said, adding, the MP should have known better that his irresponsible comment was an attack on meritocracy in the Ghanaian society.
He believes the manner persons attribute the rise of women in the society to everything but on grounds of merit should be discouraged immediately.
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