NDC MP Abandons Close Friend In Difficult Times After Pressure From Party  

National Democratic Congress (MDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Twifo Atti Morkwa in the Central Region, has made a sudden U-turn, after his position on the sale of some four hotels to Rock City, belonging to the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, was heavily criticized.

David T. D. Vondee, who had initially defended the Abetifi MP for bidding for the hotels, arguing his colleague, has nothing wrong, because he is a businessman, was forced to abandon his stance, barely 24-hours after his spirited defense.

The MP, who is a first-time lawmaker, had declared that Bryan Acheampong, was his good friend and found no fault with his decision to acquire the properties.

The 45-year-old indicated that, the NDC, should refrain from blaming Mr Acheampong and rather direct their anger to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) owners and sellers of the hotels.

“I am very differing on the Bryan issue. Bryan is my friend so I talk about it differently. If you are selling something and I seek to buy it legally, under normal circumstances, I will buy it.

“So why is SSNIT that is seeking to sell our property be excused? And I don’t know how the NDC will understand me. Why is SSNIT being left off the hook and Bryan is being attacked frontally?

“By all standards, Bryan is a businessman, I am a businessman, if you think you don’t want to sell the hotels, stop the deal. The fact is that it is not good for the young man’s business,” he submitted on Accra-based Asempa FM on June 19.

But the NDC, which has vehemently opposed the deal with the party’s MP for North Tongu, Samuel OkudzetoAblakwa, leading the charge together with Organized Labour, disagreed with their member.

Sensing danger of losing his seat, the legislator, who is less than four years in Parliament, rushed to a pro-NDC radio station, Power FM, to retract his earlier statement and apologized to his party, saying he now disagrees with the deal.

He said, he does not support acquiring state assets by politicians and politically exposed persons.

The MP on Friday June 21, also issued a statement formally to support his colleagues Minority Caucus and rendered an apology.

“My attention has been drawn to a certain misaligned comments that I made in a radio interview regarding the sale of state-owned hotels to Agriculture Minister, Hon. Bryan Acheampong. While I fully appreciate the feedback received from my appearance in the instant radio interview, I did not intend to offend the position of the Minority Caucus and the rank and file of our party, nor the sensibilities of the people of Ghana.

For the records, I am fully opposed to the state capture and deep-seated corruption, which have become the hallmark of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration.

I am also deeply convinced that selling state-owned hotels, including very profitable ones, to a politically exposed person such as Cabinet Minister, Bryan Acheampong, who is also the Member of Parliament for the Abetifi, constitutes a huge betrayal of the trust of the people of Ghana.

Finally, I take full responsibility for the misimpression created by the said interview and unreservedly apologize to the leadership and Members of the NDC Minority Caucus in Parliament, the rank and file of our party as well as the good people of Ghana”, he said.

Below Is Published, His Retraction And Apology Statement:

Source: Anchorghana.com