A leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Nyaho Nyaho Tamakloe has described the party’s decision to boycott Tuesday’s National Economic Forum at Akosombo in the Eastern region as unfortunate and partisan.
He expressed displeasure at the NPP’s decision, saying it is untenable.
‘’I think it’s very unfortunate the party has taken a partisan position on such all-important national issue; it’s very unfortunate as far as I am concerned,’’ he said.
The NPP on Monday announced that it will boycott the forum and directed all its members not to attend.
The party cited late receipt of invitation to the forum as reason for its boycott. The National Chairman 0f the NPP, Paul Afoko described the forum as a “PR gimmick”.
”We will not be part of a deliberate propaganda and PR gimmick, to hoodwink the good people of Ghana in the face of monumental hardships we have been subjected to,” he said during a press conference in Accra.
But Dr. Tamakloe said the significance of the forum is to collect ideas that will help the country out of the current economic difficulties. ”It is the duty of the party to [contribute towards this national agenda].”
He explained that the party’s reason given for the boycott is inadmissible and unimportant.
”I am not comfortable about [the action] of the party because this is a national [event]; once again you will have others attending and we will be out,” he noted.
Another NPP stalwart who also disagrees with position of the party is Mr. Yaw Osarfo Marfo, a former Finance Minister under the NPP administration.
Government, the private sector and cross section of the Ghanaian public will profess plans necessary to address defects in the economy at the first national economic forum scheduled for Tuesday.
The forum is aimed at achieving consensus on policies, strategies and measures to Ghana’s transition from a lower middle income nation to an upper middle income economy.
The theme for the forum is “Changing the Narrative: National Consensus for Social Transformation”.
By: Evans Effah/citifmonline.com/Ghana