I owe no one gratitude – Nii Armah Ashitey to NDC

Embattled Member of Parliament for Klottey Korle constituency, Nii Armah Ashietey says he remains unfazed by the vitriolic attacks from party members following effort to remove Dr. Zanetor Rawlings as the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for the constituency.

According to Nii Armah Ashitey, all he is seeking to do is to ensure the internal rules and regulations for the primary are respected.

The Klottey Korle MP is challenging the eligibility of Dr. Zanetor Rawlings who beat him in the party’s parliamentary primary last year.

Nii Armah Ashitey contends that, she was not qualified to contest the election because she was not a registered voter – a pre-requisite for all candidates vying to win the NDC’s parliamentary slots.

But several interventions by the party hierarchy to get him to back down have proven futile. Due to this, many including Central Regional Chairman of the ruling NDC, Allotey Jacobs has branded him [Ashitey] ungrateful.

“Ashitey Armah, you had the chance to be DCE in Tema for 8 years under Rawlings and if it’s time for Rawlings daughter to serve in the party you want to bring her down,” he fumed on Adom TV Badwam.

But in a riposte, the Klottey Korle MP on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Monday, stated unequivocally that “I owe no one gratitude”.

“All so soon people have forgotten what I did? People who think I’m an errand boy should revise their notes,” he said.

He indicated that he was a self-made man when he was begged by the erstwhile Rawlings regime to take up the position of Tema mayor.

“I was the President of Ghana Forex Bureau Association when I was approached by Rawlings. I was virtually begged into accepting to be mayor of Tema and my witnesses including Nana Konadu and Sherry Ayitey are still alive,” he stressed.

He could not fathom why the party is vilifying him when in fact “positive defiance is part of the virtues and values of NDC”.

“Nobody should think that somebody did me a favour. In 2000, I single-handedly sponsored NDC from opposition to government. Have they forgotten so soon?” He quizzed.

Nii Armah Ashitey said he has regretted joining politics since it has made him poorer.

“I’m not greedy, I am a simple person; since the days at TMA, I have not been paid my ex-gratia but I still served this country without blemish. Today this is my reward,” he bemoaned.