Ayisi-Boateng defends “NPP more Ghanaian” comment

Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Mr George Ayisi Boateng has defended his “more Ghanaian” comment and insisted his comment has been taken out of context and twisted.

Mr Ayisi Boateng at a meeting with the Kumasi Technical University branch of the Tertiary Education Students Confederacy (TESCON) of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) last Sunday said, “Indeed I’m not boasting, but I’ve started meeting the NPP groups. Every weekend I meet some group members and I tell you if I had my way, every job opportunity that will come will go to a TESCON member before any other person. And I know my colleague appointees also have the same feeling except that because of IMF we cannot do anything now.”

He has come under attack for that comment with the Minority Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa demanding that he should be withdrawn since to him, the comment was “undiplomatic.”

But in a radio interview with Nhyira FM in Kumasi, Mr Ayisi Boateng said he was only advising TESCON members to be hardworking and that the party would reward their efforts.

He said he sees nothing wrong with his comment that members of the NPP are more Ghanaian than others and, thus, his priority is to help members of his party first before any other Ghanaian.

He insisted he stands by his words since, according to him, “I said nothing bad.”

“What is wrong with my statement?” he asked, adding that he is not a divisive person as people are portraying him to be.

“I have helped many NDC members including E.T. Mensah, I am not divisive, E.T Mensah can attest to it,” he said.

He said the comment was simply taken out of context by those who do not wish him well.

He said he did not say anything bad but, “you see if someone does not like you, they can take your words out of context.”,

Explaining, he said he was speaking on the rampant vigilantism in the country and was just advising the students to study hard to develop themselves academically and interpret government’s policies to their counterparts so when the government succeeds, they can also benefit and would have a bright future.

When asked if he will apologize, he said he does not see the need to apologize because he has not said anything wrong, but “if it gets to the stage where I have to, I will do it,” he added.

Meanwhile there has been mixed reactions to the comment with some vehemently opposing his stands and others supporting him.

The Kumasi Technical University TESCON branch has defended the comment, saying Mr Ayisi Boateng was a role model who has been an inspiration to them over the years.

Below is a transcript of what Mr Ayisi Boateng said when he met the fresh members of TESCON

I will appeal to my seniors here, please be advisers or counselors because the job market is choked, it is highly competitive. This government is doing its best to create job opportunities. Me for instance, I tell my people over there [South Africa] that ….it is because of NPP that I am here so 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 top most priority is the problem of an NPP person before any other Ghanaian, take it or leave it, they marveled…. And indeed I have started meeting the NPP people, I have been meeting them….

“I tell you if I have my way, every job opportunity that will come, it will go to a TESCON member before any other person. I know my colleague appointees have the same feeling except that because of IMF we cannot do anything now….

“TESON member is my priority, NPP member is my priority, before any other Ghanaian, we are all Ghanaians, but some are more Ghanaians than others so my dear director, all of you, get the messages to our appointees, they should be very careful, so that we work for party members first, so that party members will work hard for us to retain power and sustain power for over 20 years, so that we can change things in Ghana…”