Ministerial Jobs for NDC Serial Callers

…E.T. Mensah negotiates deal at Kuku Hill

As a measure of his appreciation for their dedication to the cause of the NDC, President John Evans Atta Mills has rewarded his party’s serial callers, most of who are members of the NDC Youth Wing-the NDC Youth Forum, with back room staff appointments in various ministries. Others too belong to the Fiifi Kwetey-led “Setting the Records Straight group”.

The deal, Today’s investigations established, was brokered by the 1st National Vice Chairman of the NDC, Hon. Enoch Tei Mensah at the NDC campaign office at Kuku Hill, Osu, Accra on Sunday, March 1st 2009. In attendance was Nii Lantey Vanderpuiye, a member of the NDC Communication Team. Chief Spokesperson for the Forum, Fiifi Kwetey, however, did not attend the meeting, perhaps preparing to face the Appointments Committee of Parliament on his nomination as deputy Minster of Finance.

The beneficiaries include known NDC die-hards Triddles of Pick Farm, Hamza, Halidu, Musa, a member of the defunct 64 battalion and a resident of Nii Boi Town, Mohammed, Mustapha and many others. The outspoken Triddles, as this paper managed to scoop, is being posted to the Blue Gate (National Security).

Although Triddles confirmed that a Youth Forum meeting was held at the party’s Kuku Hill office last Sunday, he denied receiving any job offer, adding “that has not come to my notice”.

Another known NDC Serial Caller, Hamza, who confirmed his membership of the Youth Forum in an interview, admitted that although they were promised jobs in the run up to the 2008 elections, the party’s leadership was yet to translate that into reality.

He also confirmed to this paper that there was a meeting of the Youth Forum last Sunday, but denied knowledge of job offers for the members of the group, although he said some disgruntled members of the Forum raised concerns about how the NDC leadership has neglected them since the party won the 2008 elections.

This paper found out that the job offer was extended to members of the Setting the Records Straight group, where a member of the group (Setting the Records Straight) the voiceferious Musa, is offered a security job at the office of the Vice President because of his military background.

In all, 38 names were presented by Hon. E.T. Mensah to be posted to the ministries that have been earmarked for the exercise. They are the Research Unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Security Annex, otherwise known as Blue Gate and the Ministry of Trade. The rest are the Ministry of Communication, the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Health.

Out of the number, 29 have been posted to the six ministries while new areas are being sought for the remaining nine. Six out of the first batch have been posted to the Blue Gate (National Security); five to the Research Unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and four to the Ministry of Trade.

Five of them are expected to work at the Ministry of Communication; three to the Ministry of Interior and six to the Ministry of Health.

Our information suggests the remaining nine will be posted to the Ministries of Employment, Local Government and Education.

Within the period of NDC’s sojourning in opposition, some youth in the NDC decided to reorganize the NDC by forming the Youth Forum with the aim of resuscitating the structures of the NDC. The pioneering founders were Nestor Hoeyi, Charles Ayivor, Haruna Iddrisu, John Adams, Fiifi Kwetey, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, one lady named Ruby and Dr. Gavor.

However, when the NDC leadership formed the re-organization committee, some leading members of the Forum decided to back out to help in the general re-organization party, although the younger ones like Fiifi Kwetey, Elvis Ankrah and Haruna Iddrisu decided to continue and assumed the leadership of the Forum.

The new leadership then decided to expand the Forum by inviting many NDC supporters, mainly the party’s serial callers to be part of the Forum. It took the vocal members of Youth Forum for the NDC to regain its voice through radio discussions.

The inputs by the members of the Forum into such discussions helped to negate what NDC operatives considered as deliberate attempts by then NPP administration to prosecute some NDC functionaries through the “court of public opinion”.

Their efforts also complemented the efforts of the party’s minority Members of Parliament on national discourse and became members of the pressure groups that organized demonstrations against the Kufuor-led administration.

Although the Forum was formed in Accra, it is currently replicated in all parts of the country where members constantly phone into radio discussions to present the NDC side of every issue. A similar package, Today discovered, is being prepared for the NDC serial callers in the regions, majority of who are likely to be posted to the Regional and District Assemblies.

Source: TODAY Newspaper