The 2024 National Democratic Congress Parliamentary Candidate for Effutu Constituency in the Central Region, Hon. Dr. James Kofi Annan has condemned the vandalization of party properties by some Youth in the constituency alleged to be NDC members and has thus reiterated his loyalty to the party and His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama.
Some Youth of Effutu purported to be NDC members on Friday morning January 24, 2025 stormed their party office in Winneba to burn party properties and violently exercised their displeasure to the President for not honoring Effutu NDC Parliamentary Candidate Dr. James Kofi Annan an appointment in formation of his Government as they believe their PC fought hard for the party to come to power and deserves to be given an appointment.
This act generated a lot of tension in the constituency in the Central Region with many questioning the violent behavior of the Youth.
Meanwhile in reaction to this act, the NDC Effutu PC Hon. Dr. James Kofi Annan in a Press statement on 25th January, 2025 has vehemently described the incident as an unfortunate and has denied his alliance to the actions of the Youth.
Below is the Full Press Statement by Hon. Dr. James Kofi Annan:
OFFICIAL STATEMENT BY HON. DR. JAMES KOFI ANNAN ON THE ACTION TAKEN BY SOME YOUTH OF THE EFFUTU CONSTITUENCY
My attention has been drawn to reports circulating on social media and other media platforms indicating that some NDC party faithful in the Effutu Constituency have staged a demonstration demanding that His Excellency, John Dramani Mahama consider me for an appointment.
I, totally, condemn the demonstration and completely disassociate myself from the acts.
On the morning of the day the demonstration happened, I picked an intel that some youth were planning to disrupt a meeting of the Constituency Executives in my office. I quickly called the Constituency Deputy Communications officer, informed him about what I had heard and advised them not have the meeting in my office.
I later heard that the youth were rather going to hold a press conference, so I again called the Municipal NIB Officer, to inform him about the planned press conference, and implored him to monitor the situation. I personally forwarded the telephone number of the leader of the youth group to the NIB Officer and asked him to call him.
Unfortunately, all my efforts at preventing the youth from taking the action failed, probably because of my physical absence. Indeed, I have been unwell for some time so I have been out of Effutu seeking medical attention in Accra, and also taking sometime off to rest.
I wish to reiterate that the responsibility to appoint individuals to high offices is the sole prerogative of the President, and I urge the youth in the Effutu constituency to be cautious about how they associate my name to such irresponsible and reckless acts.
We worked hard to bring the party into office, and I believe whatever decision the President or the party takes, is done in the good interest of the party and in the spirit of resetting our country, after eight years of backwardness under the NPP. I, hereby, express my utmost and unwavering support to the President and the NDC Party, and I am of the strong conviction that united we shall succeed.
Our responsibility as a party in the constituency is to come together and support the government to achieve the objectives set in the manifesto.
I urge everyone to be measured in their expectations and to exercise maximum restraint.
End.
Signed
James Kofi Annan
Effutu NDC Parliamentary Candidate in the 2020 and 2024 elections