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Nii Armah Ashietey, the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) Member of Parliament for the Klottey Korle constituency who was defeated in the party’s primaries has spoken for the first time after his defeat.
He did not congratulate his successor but to correct some assertions made against him.
The defeated parliamentary candidate was moved to set the records straight because of a series of reports by some newspapers he deemed “unfair” to his personality and integrity.
Nii Armah lamented that the newspapers; Inquisitor, Informer, Enquirer and the Al Haj he said had accused him of being “under the control and influence of certain people” and also described him as a boy-boy [ errand boy in the local parlance].
Nii Ashietey in a statement describe the publications as “against my personality and integrity.”
Nii Armah Ashietey was defeated by Dr. Zanetor Rawlings, daughter of former president Jerry John Rawlings in the NDC’s parliamentary primaries held last year.
He together with another aspirant, Nii John Coleman sued Dr. Zanetor and the NDC party for allowing the former to be elected despite not being a registered voter in Ghana.
Nii Ashietey had incurred the wrath of the public for taking the matter to court.
The Klottey Korle MP argued that though “a number of friends, government appointees, businessmen and women and high-up NDC members supported my campaign during the Primaries because they have the confidence,” he said “these people have restrained themselves from the current court action for varying reasons.”
He said it is “therefore unfortunate, malicious and provocative for these newspapers to suggest that I am not my own man and that I am a ‘shameless boy-boy’.”
“I also consider it extremely unfair for these newspapers to continue to unnecessarily attack my personality without any basis and for no wrong committed, probably just to please their pay masters,” he added.
Below is the full statement:
NII ARMAH ASHIETEY’S STATEMENT ON HAPPENINGS IN KLOTTEY KORLE
In the past few weeks there was a series of publications against my personality and integrity by some newspapers namely, the Inquisitor, Informer, Enquirer and the Al Haj. The substance of the publication suggested that I am not my own man and that I have been under the control and influence of certain people, before, during and after the Klottey Korle Parliamentary Primaries held in November last year.
In the view of the papers, these people were responsible for my sterling insult-free campaign and the current court action initiated by Nii John Coleman and I demanding justice to correct a wrong of monumental proportions. I would like to bring to the attention of these newspapers that we are in court to get the NDC to enforce its own rules that a member shall not qualify to contest primaries for any parliamentary seat if that member fails to satisfy the requirements for the election of a Member of Parliament – a citizen of Ghana, 21 years and above, and a registered voter. That is all! I do not think that we are asking too much from the court to get the Party to enforce its own rules.
These newspapers have no justification whatsoever to peddle malicious untruths to bring me to public ridicule since I have maintained a very cordial relationship with the Press.
I am proud of my working life both outside and inside politics. Before politics I was the General Secretary of the Ghana Merchant Navy Officer’s Association (GMNOA), which is affiliated to the International Transport Workers Federation ITF in the United Kingdom. I represented Africa on the Fair Practices and Maritime Policy Committees of the ITF and the International Maritime Organisation/ International Labour Organization (IMO/ILO) joint Committee on Maritime Training. I was also Secretary-General of the West African Transport Workers Federation (WATWF)
I was the Managing Director of Ashton Forex Bureau Ltd. in Tema and was once the President of the Ghana Association of Forex Bureaux. I operated a Shipping Consultancy business and provided job opportunities for many Ghanaian Seaferers to serve on foreign flagships and many more. I was also President of the Ghana Association of Ship Manning Agents.
In politics, I served the NDC in the Klottey Korle Constituency as a Branch Chairman and rose through the ranks to become Constituency Chairman. I was once the Chief Executive of the then Tema Municipal Assembly, twice Minister of State and presently the MP for Klottey Korle Constituency and member of the Judiciary Committee of Parliament.
It is trite knowledge that for years I have shaped my personality as a firm and independent thinking individual making decisions on behalf of many Ghanaians. My working life, in politics and outside politics, attest to my high level of commitment to independent thinking.
It is therefore unfortunate, malicious and provocative for these newspapers to suggest that I am not my own man and that I am a ‘shameless boy-boy’. I also consider it extremely unfair for these newspapers to continue to unnecessarily attack my personality without any basis and for no wrong committed, probably just to please their pay masters.
High-ranking NDC members know the support and contributions I made from 2002 to 2008 to wrestle the Constituency from the hands of the Opposition. Yet today, misguided young men refer to me as a ‘boy-boy’!
I wish to state that a number of friends, government appointees, businessmen and women and high-up NDC members supported my campaign during the Primaries because they have the confidence, belief and conviction that, all things being equal, I can retain the seat for the NDC in the 2016 general election. But I can emphatically state that these people have restrained themselves from the current court action for varying reasons that I very much respect, and it is most unfair for anybody to try and draw them into it.
I thank the many supporters of our party who have stood with me all these years in our collective effort to develop the constituency and many others who constantly call and pass by to show support, love and solidarity, as well as those who come to court every time there is a hearing. I appreciate all your sacrifices and your commitment to democracy and the rule of law.
It is our unflinching dedication and commitment to the principles of Probity, Transparency and Accountability that has made our Party great and strong.
We shall overcome!
GOD BLESS YOU
Nii Armah Ashietey
MP-Klottey Korley
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