While on Tamale-based Diamond Fm recently, the two opposing camps accused each other of contract grabbing to the detriment of the many party supporters whose contributions aided the NDC’s victory in the 2008 elections.
Alhaji Umar Yussif Alhassan, the Regional NDC Secretary and Chief Njogulana, a known party stalwart and traditional ruler traded these accusations to the surprise of listeners and foot soldiers in the region who have constantly complained that only a few executives are benefiting from the party’s victory.
Whereas Chief Njogulana claimed the regional executives were grabbing contracts and amassing wealth from all angles without recourse to the unity of the party which is currently at the crossroads, the NDC scribe had a different opinion.
According to Alhaji Umar, all party executives in the region had benefitted from contracts in the area including Chief Njogulana himself who was working on a project at Buipe.
‘He is also a beneficiary of the contracts and is therefore guilty as accused,’ he added.
Alhaji Umar admitted he was given a renovation contract at the Dabokpa Technical Institute within the Tamale metropolis since 2009 which he is still working on and wondered why some persons in the party were accusing the executives over trivial issues.
But Chief Njogulana in a sharp rebuttal denied having a contract in Buipe in the Central Gonja district accusing Alhaji Umar of peddling falsehood.
Though he admitted working on a project belonging to the Produce Buying Company Limited (PBC) under COCOBOD, he indicated he was awarded the contract during the erstwhile NPP era.
He vowed to resist any attempts by the executives to drag his name into disrepute observing that his open comments about happenings in the party were aimed at fostering unity and not to disintegrate it.
The NDC kingpin said he was no longer going to comment on the matter as his efforts had been misconstrued to mean he was garnering support for a leadership position.
‘I am not interested in any leadership position and will never opt for one in this region. I am content with my current dispensation as a traditional ruler,’ he remarked.
Meanwhile the NDC Regional Secretariat has issued a press release barring people from speaking on behalf of the party on radio stations without prior authorization.
The party said the move is aimed at cleaning the airwaves of ill-motivated people who pursue their clandestine agenda at the least opportunity.
According to the release, some persons had taken over certain radio stations within the city claiming to be speaking for the Rawlingses noting that the former first family had earlier distanced itself from such people.
Sources close to DAILY GUIDE however said the statement seeks to gag people in the region who have started waging a crusade against President Mills’ second term bid.
The release was issued less than 48 hours after some known supporters of the Rawlingses lambasted the party’s leadership in the region for openly endorsing President Mills and trying to malign members of FONKAR.
Spokesperson for the Rawlingses, Kofi Adams indicated on Diamond Fm that those persons purported to be speaking for his bosses in the region were close associates and are not part of those mandated not to speak for them.
He urged them to continue supporting Rawlings and rubbished calls by the regional executives for them to stop commenting on issues involving Nana Konadu or her husband.
From Stephen Zoure, Tamale
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