The people of Nzema, particularly those in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region, have praised President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for honouring his promise by nominating Catherine Abelema Afeku, popularly called ‘Nzema Yaa Asantewaa,’ Member of Parliament (MP) for the area as the Minister-designate for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts.
According to them, during the 2016 electioneering campaign, Nana Akufo-Addo visited the Evalue-Gwira-Ajomoro Constituency and promised the people that he would nominate Catherine Afeku if given the nod.
This was after the chiefs in the constituency had appealed to Nana Addo to nominate their daughter as a minister at a meeting held during the campaign.
The people jubilated when the name of their legislator was mentioned by President Nana Akufo Addo as the minister-designate for tourism and creative arts.
This was contained in a statement issued and signed by Sarfo Hayford Communications Director of the NPP, Frank Okpeyen and Charles Erica, Secretary and Research Officer of the party respectively.
According to the statement, Hon. Catherine Afeku would be the first female Minister to be appointed in Nzemaland, adding that she is the first person to win the Evalue-Gwira-Ajomoro seat for the United Party (UP) tradition.
Condemn Rented Press
The statement condemned a publication in some ‘rented press’ of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) by a group that called on the president to revoke the nomination of the MP.
“Our attention has been drawn to a publication on the front pages of the ‘rented’ newspapers and some online portals by a group calling itself ‘Truth and Accountable Governance’ calling on President Akufo-Addo to revoke the nomination of Hon. Catherine Afeku on an alleged fraud case”.
The statement stated that “it is very painful and disheartening for the alleged group to issue that statement to call on the president to drop our hardworking, affable, courageous and dependable MP.”
The executives of the so-called group including, one Sir Abdullah of Zuria FM in Kumasi, Elomba Nana Yeboah of Fanteakwa and Samed Akalilu of Kumasi are all NDC activists who do not reside in the constituency, it stated.
The constituency branch of the NPP claimed the activists of the opposition party in Evalue-Gwira-Ajomoro Constituency were behind the said publication because the draft of the report circulated in most pro-NDC whatsapp platforms in the area.
“An NDC former executive is reported to have said that a prominent person from Nzema was going to Accra with documents to prevent the approval of Hon. Catherine at vetting. Another said he will only congratulate Afeku if she sails through the vetting,” the statement disclosed.
“We therefore call on the vetting committee, our teaming supporters and all NPP sympathizers to treat the publication with the contempt it deserves and support our MP to contribute her quota to the development of Nzemaland and Ghana as a whole.”
The statement added that purported NDC activists were motivated by hatred and jealousy to frustrate Hon. Catherine Afeku and the entire NPP in Nzema.
“Hon. Catherine has been the pillar behind the NPP in Evalue Ajomoro Gwira since she decided to serve her people. The support base of the NPP in Evalue Ajomoro Gwira has increased steadily, and people, especially the youth, have developed love for the party.”
The Evalue-Gwira-Ajomoro NPP asserted that Catherine Afeku as a minister would pose a threat to the NDC in the constituency.
The Constituency NPP stated that the NDC activists in Evalue Gwira allowed their Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) to use state funds to build his private house.
“The youth and good people of the constituency are upset, because they did not vote for a fraudster. They voted for competent, intelligent, eloquent, hard working and courageous person-Hon. Catherine Abelema Afeku.”
“We urge everybody in Nzema and Western Region as a whole to support the cause of his Excellency Nana Addo -Dankwa Akufo Addo and Hon. Catherine Abelema Afeku to succeed,” the statement indicated.
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