{"id":367369,"date":"2017-11-01T11:49:58","date_gmt":"2017-11-01T11:49:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=367369"},"modified":"2017-11-01T11:49:58","modified_gmt":"2017-11-01T11:49:58","slug":"ayisi-boateng-must-apologize-or-be-sacked-occupyghana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/11\/ayisi-boateng-must-apologize-or-be-sacked-occupyghana\/","title":{"rendered":"Ayisi Boateng must apologize or be sacked \u2013 OccupyGhana"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pressure group, OccupyGhana, is demanding an unqualified apology from Ghana\u2019s High Commissioner to South Africa, George Ayisi Boteng, who in a recent comment said he will always treat members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) as his priority, because they\u00a0are\u00a0more Ghanaian than others<\/strong><\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n

Mr. Ayisi Boateng’s comment has been widely criticized with many calling on the President to sack him<\/strong><\/a><\/span> with immediate effect.<\/p>\n

OccupyGhana in a statement\u00a0also urged the government to publicly denounce the statement and dissociate itself from it.<\/p>\n

\"George
George Ayisi Boateng, Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

[contextly_sidebar id=”ppGxFSQWAllL5r8bcELrKRjZBKfQ6dG5″]\u201cWe 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,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n

OccupyGhana said the President should sack the diplomat immediately if he refuses to apologize.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2019s Tertiary Students\u2019 Confederacy Network (TESCON) will be prioritized for various jobs.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026this 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\u2019m 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,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

OccupyGhana said \u201cwe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also condemn the statement made by the acting NPP Chairman, Mr. Freddie Blay, that suggested support for Mr. Ayisi Boateng\u2019s position.<\/p>\n

Below is the full statement from OccupyGhana:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1st\u00a0 NOVEMBER 2017<\/p>\n

OCCUPYGHANA\u00ae PRESS STATEMENT<\/strong><\/p>\n

OCCUPYGHANA\u00ae DEMANDS AN UNQUALIFIED APOLOGY FROM MR. GEORGE AYISI BOATENG OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE HIS REMOVAL FROM OFFICE<\/p>\n

OccupyGhana\u00ae is disgusted and appalled by High Commissioner George Ayisi Boateng\u2019s discriminatory comments that pitched partisan\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

We do not have to remind the High Commissioner that his comments run counter to the theme of his own party\u2019s Manifesto: \u201cAn Agenda for Change. Creating Prosperity & Equal Opportunities for All.\u201d He has failed in this regard too.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

We also condemn the statement made by the Acting NPP Chairman, Mr. Freddie Blay that suggested support for Mr. Ayisi Boateng\u2019s position.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Yours, for God & Country,<\/p>\n

OccupyGhana\u00ae<\/p>\n

–<\/p>\n

By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana
\nFollow @AlloteyGodwin<\/a>
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