Deputy Minister of Trade, Murtala Mohammed, has issued an apology to the President, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Ghanaians for recent comments he made in a radio interview which have stirred controversy.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Nantong Constituency accused a colleague MP in the Northern Region, who he has since refuse to name, of plotting to unseat him in an exclusive interview on Diamond FM.
[contextly_sidebar id=”HCXJa3lqEf95TgeiP6HwzfvcV1DpY21E”]In a statement issued on Saturday, he acknowledged that he “could have handled the matter better rather than an outburst, which was as a result of deep pain occasioned by events over the years.”
“I wish to render my unqualified apology to His Excellency the President. I wish also to render same to the NDC party and government, the good people of Ghana, the chiefs and religious leaders of Dagbon, as well as the Chiefs and people of the Nanton Constituency whose interest I have sworn to defend,” the statement said.
Murtala Mohammed had claimed in the radio interview that he had proof; three recorded tapes of a meeting between the said northern MP and some of the NDC Nantong constituency executives.
“I have audios, I swear to God, I am a Muslim, a practicing Muslim and I will not swear if I don’t have it,” he stated.
A post, attributed to the Member of Parliament, as it had appeared on his Facebook page, had alleged that the MP in question had hired a lady to take nude pictures of a Cabinet Minister.
Murtala Mohammed, however, dissociated himself from the comments in his statement stating that he had not been active on Facebook at the time the message was posted.
“I however wish to take this opportunity to dissociate myself from a statement purported to have been attributed to my Facebook wall. As a matter of fact, I have not posted anything on my Facebook wall the past week since I have been on an official assignment in Morocco. Once again, I apologise sincerely,” the statement added.
His outburst had received widespread condemnation from people who felt Mr. Mohammed should have explored the proper channels to raise his grievances.
However, the Secretary of the Northern Regional Branch of the National Democratic Congress(NDC) has said it cannot take any disciplinary action against the deputy Minister, insisting that the “statement that he made has no impact on our political fortunes in the region.”
By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana