[ 2015-05-28 ]

Kwabena Agyepong must talk less, build bridges - Baako
The reaction of New Patriotic Party General
Secretary, Kwabena Agyepong to his purported
resignation letter portrayed him as combative,
Editor-in-chief of the Crusading Guide Newspaper,
Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, has said.

According to him, the General Secretary could have
denied knowledge of the letter without being
excessively defensive.

Speaking on Peace FM’s morning show
‘Kokrokoo’, the veteran journalist said
Kwabena Agyepoang “spoke too much” when he was
interviewed about the letter.

Following the tragic death of the NPP’s Upper
East Regional Chairman, Adams Mahama, many have
called on the General Secretary and the National
Chairman of the party to resign.

The two have been accused of causing disagreements
and dimming the party's chances of winning next
year's presidential poll. The death of Adams
Mahama, who himself was reported to have scuttled
a meeting in Bolga sparked anger amongst the
regional caucuses of the party which say the two
must go. Adams Mahama died after some unknown
assailants doused him with acid. A brother of the
National Chairman, Paul Afoko is standing trial
for the crime.

As seven regional caucuses appealed to three
bodies in the party to prevail on the two to step
aside, a letter emerged yesterday indicating that
the General Secretary had resigned from office.

In an interview with Joy News yesterday, Kwabena
Agyepong denied knowledge of the letter insisting
that "I am still at post, I have not resigned and
I intend to see out my mandate”.

He added that "clearly these are unseen hands;
people who want to destroy our party; bring the
name of our party into disrepute. All that they
have tried to do these past two weeks; even to try
and hang murder around my neck.

"I am a very firm, strong person and resolute. By
the Grace of God, I believe in what I am doing I
know I am right. I am going to stick to my
position. Those who think I am going to resign
better think about that. I am not going to resign.
Those who want to impeach me can go ahead. I will
make sure they will lose the impeachment effort."
However, Mr Baako said Kwabena Agyepong’s
comments in relation to the letter were
excessive.

In his view, the General Secretary should use this
moment to “build bridges and or rebuild those
that have already broken. If I were him, I would
not have said all those things.
“It is good he immediately denied the letter
publicly but there was an overkill in his reaction
yesterday”, he said.
He added that although Kwabena Agyepong might be
convinced that he did nothing wrong and will want
to continue his mandate as General Secretary, the
best response he could have given with regards to
the letter was “a straightforward denial of
responsibility for that letter”.
Kweku Baako said he doubts if the General
Secretary’s response will help him win the
party’s sympathy.
“All the things he said will not grow a critical
mass of sympathy for him within the party
structures. The language he applied and the things
he said will not create an understanding and
goodwill for him”, he said.
In his opinion, Kwabena Agyepong’s response
portrays him as someone who is “in a combative
mood and it only send ripples to the other side to
also combat.”
Mr Baako said it was impossible for the General
Secretary to carry out his duties effectively and
efficiently when “you are holed up in your
house; you have to go out there and interact with
people in the party”.
He is of the view that in order to do this, Mr
Agyepong should be able to win party members to
his side.
In dealing with the issues, he said there is a
certain kind of tact that is required and the
party he believes has “enough hands help them
manage these crises no matter how transient”.

Source - Joy News

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