Mr. Ayisi Boateng’s comment has been widely criticized with many calling on the President to sack him with immediate effect.

OccupyGhana in a statement also urged the government to publicly denounce the statement and dissociate itself from it.

[contextly_sidebar id=”ppGxFSQWAllL5r8bcELrKRjZBKfQ6dG5″]“We demand from Mr. Ayisi Boateng an unqualified apology to the people of Ghana for both his appalling initial comments and his subsequent statement expressing lack of remorse. We call on the NPP and the government to denounce the statement and demand a full retraction and apology,” the statement said.

OccupyGhana said the President should sack the diplomat immediately if he refuses to apologize.

“If he should fail or refuse to do that, then we respectfully and humbly call on the President to remove Mr. Ayisi Boateng from office as High Commissioner.”

Mr. Ayisi Boateng has been in the news for saying that his first priority is to members of the NPP, and that if he had his own way, members of the party’s Tertiary Students’ Confederacy Network (TESCON) will be prioritized for various jobs.

“…this government is doing its best to create job opportunities and me for instance, I told my people over there [that], it is because of NPP that I’m here, so the NPP man is my priority. I told them when NDC was in power it was Kwesi Ahwoi who was there, now we are in power, so Ayisi-Boateng is here with you. My topmost priority is the problems of an NPP person before any other Ghanaian, take it or leave it,” he said.

OccupyGhana said “we cannot condone such statements, and we condemn them in no uncertain terms as unbefitting of an envoy and holder of a high privileged diplomatic office.”

“We also condemn the statement made by the acting NPP Chairman, Mr. Freddie Blay, that suggested support for Mr. Ayisi Boateng’s position.

Below is the full statement from OccupyGhana:

1st  NOVEMBER 2017

OCCUPYGHANA® PRESS STATEMENT

OCCUPYGHANA® DEMANDS AN UNQUALIFIED APOLOGY FROM MR. GEORGE AYISI BOATENG OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE HIS REMOVAL FROM OFFICE

OccupyGhana® is disgusted and appalled by High Commissioner George Ayisi Boateng’s discriminatory comments that pitched partisan  interests above those of other Ghanaians. We are even more shocked by his unrepentant expression of lack of remorse in the face of the massive expressions of disappointment at his divisive comments.

We do not have to remind the High Commissioner that as a public officer of his standing, he is required to speak both with honour and from a patriotic disposition. He has failed in this regard.

We do not have to remind the High Commissioner that he must operate above party cronyism and the prioritization of partisan interests above the supreme interests of the Ghanaian people. He has failed in this regard.

We do not have to remind the High Commissioner that his comments run counter to the theme of his own party’s Manifesto: “An Agenda for Change. Creating Prosperity & Equal Opportunities for All.” He has failed in this regard too.

We cannot condone such statements, and we condemn them in no uncertain terms as unbefitting of an envoy and holder of a high privileged diplomatic office.

We also condemn the statement made by the Acting NPP Chairman, Mr. Freddie Blay that suggested support for Mr. Ayisi Boateng’s position.

We demand from Mr. Ayisi Boateng an unqualified apology to the people of Ghana for both his appalling initial comments and his subsequent statement expressing lack of remorse. We call on the NPP and the government to denounce the statement and demand a full retraction and apology.

If he should fail or refuse to do that, then we respectfully and humbly call on the President to remove Mr Ayisi Boateng from office as High Commissioner.

Yours, for God & Country,

OccupyGhana®

–

By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Ayisi Boateng must apologize or be sacked – OccupyGhana appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to the Minority, turning a blind eye on the issue will mean that Akufo-Addo endorses such comments which have been described as “bigotry.”

The diplomat, while addressing members of the Tertiary Students’ Confederacy Network  (TESCON) in the Ashanti Region over the weekend, said his first priority is to members of the party, and that if he had his own way, members of TESCON will be prioritized for various jobs.

[contextly_sidebar id=”WOwRPmSAZ1zF4NFSXGfccfB4EnzotbRS”]Mr. Boateng said he considers NPP members as more Ghanaian than others.

“…this government is doing its best to create job opportunities and me for instance, I told my people over there [that], it is because of NPP that I’m here, so the NPP man is my priority. I told them when NDC was in power it was Kwesi Ahwoi who was there, now we are in power, so Ayisi-Boateng is here with you. My topmost priority is the problems of an NPP person before any other Ghanaian, take it or leave it,” he said.

The Minority in a statement said: “While Ayisi Boateng’s apparent suicidal mission in the face of overwhelming condemnation by decent minded Ghanaians has made him the ‘Chemical Ali’ of Ghana’s Diplomatic Service, the Minority in Parliament like most Ghanaians believe the ball is now squarely in the court of His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to show this dangerous envoy the exit.”

The statement signed by its Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, further said “The loud silence of Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Ms. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey and the Government led by President Akufo-Addo especially in the face of some reprehensible support from sections of the NPP led by its Acting Chairman Freddie Blay, is most troubling as it has the tendency to convey a tacit approval of the egregious sins of their chief diplomat in South Africa.”

The Minority further described Mr. Ayisi’s comments as “suicidal,” disgraceful and must be sacked immediately.

“It is generally understood that anything short of giving the disgraced High Commissioner to South Africa the sack by President Akufo-Addo can only mean that the President endorses his deplorable statements and perhaps explains Ayisi Boateng’s continuous show of rare spiteful bravado.”

The Minority in the statement also vowed to use every means possible to have their demands met.

“We will not relent in demanding action on this matter. We have considered our options under the Constitution and the Standing Orders of Parliament, and can indicate our readiness to trigger further processes if Government inertia continues,” the statement added.

Below is the full statement:

PRESIDENT AKUFO-ADDO MUST ACT NOW

The Minority in Parliament has taken judicial notice of the rather defiant, intransigent, stubborn, obstinate, obdurate, adamant, stiff-necked and unremorseful posture of Ghana’s disgraced High Commissioner to South Africa, H.E. George Ayisi Boateng.

While Ayisi Boateng’s apparent suicidal mission in the face of overwhelming condemnation by decent minded Ghanaians has made him the “Chemical Ali” of Ghana’s Diplomatic Service, the Minority in Parliament like most Ghanaians believe the ball is now squarely in the court of His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to show this dangerous envoy the exit.

For a country that is famed for producing internationally celebrated and distinguished diplomats of the highest caliber in the persons of H.E. Kofi Annan, Dr. Alex Quaison-Sackey, Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambers, Mr. Alex Quartey, just to mention a few.

It surely must be an affront of monumental proportions to keep Ayisi Boateng in this reputable league of diplomats for an extra minute.

It is generally understood that anything short of giving the disgraced High Commissioner to South Africa the sack by President Akufo-Addo can only mean that the President endorses his deplorable statements and perhaps explains Ayisi Boateng’s continuous show of rare spiteful bravado.

Thus far, the loud silence of Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Hon. Ms. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey and the Government led by President Akufo-Addo especially in the face of some reprehensible support from sections of the NPP led by its Acting Chairman Freddie Blay is most troubling as it has the tendency to convey a tacit approval of the egregious sins of their chief diplomat in South Africa.

Ghanaians have heard enough from virtually everyone including former Foreign Ministers and Ambassadors who have lined up to condemn Ayisi Boateng and attempt to salvage what is left of the hitherto enviable reputation of Ghana’s diplomatic service.  However, the time to hear from current officialdom is NOW.

The Minority will not relent in demanding action on this matter. We have considered our options under the Constitution and the Standing Orders of Parliament and can indicate our readiness to trigger further processes if Government inertia continues.

A clear message ought to be sent to public officials that Article 17 of the Constitution of Ghana which forbids discrimination must be respected and that people with the Ayisi Boateng mindset which suggests some Ghanaians are more Ghanaian than the rest of us will have no hiding place to nurture their bigotry and prejudice.

Signed,

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa

MP, North Tongu

Ranking Member, Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament.

–

By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Ayisi’s comment suicidal; Nana Addo must act now – Minority appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Ghana’s women doubles team lost to Jamaica in the first round of event by three matches to one at the Scotstoun Table Tennis Centre.

Celia Baah-Danso and Cynthia Kwabi could not get past Shenique Clare and Yvonne Foster but the other female team of Mareen Adom Amankwa and Bernice Borquaye did better in beating Uganda’s Amina Luukaya and Ludia Natunga.

They, however, fell at the second hurdle to Singapore’s Ye Lin and Yihan Zhou by three games to zero.

In the Men’s Singles first round event, Derek Abrefa lost to Philip Xiao of New Zealand by four matches to two.

Felix Lartey was equally unsuccessful in his first round match  as he lost to Malaysia’s Chee Feng Leong by four matches to one.

Emmanuel Commey did not also do well after he lost to Tengteng Liu of New Zealand by four games to zero.

That was the last match in Team Ghana’s table tennis campaign in the Commonwealth Games.

By: Nathan Quao/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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