NDC must see Nana Konadu as opposition member - Murtala Mohammed

A deputy minister for Information and Media Relation, Mr Murtala Mohammed, has cautioned the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to see Nana Konadu Rawlings as a member of the opposition rather than as as a party member.

Speaking Tuesday on “Eko Si Sen’ on Accra-based Asempa FM, Mr Mohammed urged the NDC to remember that Nana Konadu abandoned the party – which was founded by her husband, Mr Jerry John Rawlings, in 1992 -  to form the National Democratic Party (NDP) in the run-up to the 2012 General Elections.

He said Nana Konadu was not a member of the NDC and should not be pampered by the party.

Mr Mohammed, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Nanton, was defending his criticism of the former first lady over comments she made in relation to the economy.

The deputy minister unlike some cowards in the NDC, he would continue to state his views on Nana Konadu without fear of favour, adding that she was not above criticism.

Mr Mohammed’s comments follow accusations by some members of his own party and the NDP that he had disrespected the former first lady.

Nana Konadu had at a public forum questioned government’s decision to increase VAT from 15% to 17.5% and place taxes on many more items.

She had argued that the imposition of too many taxes in a developing country like Ghana harmed the private sector and discouraged investments.

The former NDP Presidential Candidate had added that it made more economic sense to reduce taxes in order to attract more private investment.

The comments, apparently, displeased Mr Mohammed, who remarked that Nana Konadu was not an economist and that she was only looking for public attention with her “confusing” economic analysis.

The Deputy Information Minister’s comments also infuriated the NDP, prompting the party to call for him to be sanctioned by the President for what they said was an attack of the former first lady.