The Council of Elders of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is urging the party’s supporters to remain calm and offer the needed help to its parliamentarians to help ensure they keep the Akufo-Addo government in check.

This comes on the back of complaints from members of the party including some executives that the leadership of the Minority caucus in the Parliament failed to represent the party’s interest in Parliament by approving all ministerial nominees of President Akufo-Addo.

Earlier reports suggested that the party had discussed and agreed with the leadership of the caucus to vote against the approval of some ministerial nominees including Mavis Hawa Koomson, Minister for Fisheries; and Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister for Information but a vote in Parliament on the approval of the nominees saw a significant number of NDC parliamentarians endorsing their nominations.

Many, including the Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi openly criticized the leadership of the party in Parliament over the development.

Sammy Gyamfi in a social media post said the caucus leader, Haruna Iddrisu and the senior members of the party in parliament “brazenly defied the leadership of the party and betrayed the collective good for their selfish interest…And we, must not let them succeed in their parochial quest to destroy the NDC”.

But after a crunch meeting between the Council of Elders, the leadership of the NDC and the caucus in Parliament on Tuesday, March 16, 2021, the party says the leadership in Parliament has pledged to “uphold the principles and values of the party in our collective bid to develop our country.”

“The Council and the Caucus leadership collectively agreed that the incident of 3rd March 2021, was regrettable and unfortunate, and runs contrary to the principles and values of the party….The Council urged the national leadership of the party to resolve issues relating to the caucus leadership in Parliament and called on the rank and file of the party to remain calm, and provide the needed support to our Caucus in order to hold the Akufo-Addo government strictly to the principles of probity and accountability,” excerpts of a statement from the Council of Elders said.
Read the full statement below:

The Council of Elders of the National Democratic Congress met with the Leadership of the NDC and it’s caucus in Parliament at the instance of the Council today 16th March 2021, following an earlier meeting of the council with Party Leadership on Tuesday 9th March, to discuss issues relating to the recent developments in Parliament arising from the approval of some Ministers designate.

The Council and the Caucus leadership collectively agreed that the incident of 3rd March 2021 was regrettable and unfortunate, and runs contrary to the principles and values of the party. The Caucus Leadership have since pledged to uphold the principles and values of the party in our collective bid to develop our country.

The Council urged the national leadership of the party to resolve issues relating to the Caucus leadership in Parliament and called on the rank and file of the party to remain calm, and provide the needed support to our Caucus in order to hold the Akufo-Addo government strictly to the principles of probity and accountability.

The Council remains confident that the party will emerge from these challenges more united and focused to take on the government, as the NDC strives in pursuit of an inclusive Ghana.

Issued in Accra on Tuesday 16th March 2021

Signed

Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu

Chairman, Council of Elders