The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has assured catholic schools expected to host the party’s Vice Presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, that they have the blessing of the church to receive him.
The party says the Catholic Church has given them the permission to use the assembly hall of the St. Francis College of Education in Hohoe in the Volta Region, for the lecture to be held today [Wednesday].
Dr. Bawumia is on a two-week tour of the region addressing students of Colleges of Education.
[contextly_sidebar id=”NlcdfOZTZNPVjYrWc3zkbumTsjoCqPz8″]A planned interaction with students of the College was almost truncated after school authorities wrote to the NPP that they will not be welcomed on campus.
The letter sited by Citi News stated that: “With reference to your letter dated 12th March 2016 to use our assembly hall for the Hohoe constituency meeting with Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, management of the college regrets to inform you that the premises cannot be used due to reasons beyond their control. However members of TESCON in their college would be allowed to attend the meeting where ever it will be held. Sorry for the inconvenience this might cause you but we can’t do otherwise.”
But National Youth Organizer of the party, Sammi Awuku, who is accompanying Dr. Bawumia has told Citi News that they have received the green light to use the facility.
“Our executive made an appeal through the authorities to the Roman Father in charge of the St. Francis College of Education and also the Catholic Church in Hohoe. From our understanding, they’ve granted us the permission to use the premises. So the earlier letter was written to us by the Principal of the school…this new decision has definitely annulled the earlier one.”
Sammy Awuku said “we are looking forward to a great day. Currently, Dr. Bawumia just paid a visit to Torgbiga Gabosu and we are on our way to see the traditional council. From there, we will visit the Zongo community and other youth-based groups. And around 3pm, we will make our entry onto the campus of the school where we have students from St. Theresas and University of Health and Allied Sciences all coming together to listen to the NPP’s Vice Presidential candidate,” he added.
Dambai College stops Bawumia from addressing trainees
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, was on Monday denied access into the Dambai College of Education in the Volta Region, where he was billed to address the students.
According to Sammy Awuku, the Principal of the College communicated the decision verbally to the party’s Volta Regional Chairman.
“We are in the Volta Region for a whole week to visit the Colleges of Education and also for us to restore hope and assure them that an NPP administration will restore the teacher nurses trainees ‘allowance. Strangely in 2008, President Mahama who was then vice presidential nominee of his party, was given full access to the various campuses. In fact, he came to the Dambai College of Education in 2008, so we are surprised that suddenly, orders from above have stopped us from entering the College. The Principal told us verbally that we can’t come into the campus but we can do that at a nearby park so the students themselves built a canopy outside and we did that there. We had over 1,000 chairs and the whole place was full with others standing,” he added.
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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana