An attempt by unknown people to crucify the Ghana National Gas Company Limited CEO Dr. Ben K. D. Asante has started to fall flat as the internal wrangling within the New Patriotic Party in the Western Region heightens.
The faceless group, according to sources familiar with this development contracted some New Patriotic Party (NPP) youth to lead a demonstration against Dr. Asante, accusing him of failing to give them jobs at the state agency.
The party members, some of whom were wielding placards nearly marred the celebration of the Kundum Festival at Atoabo on Sunday (October 30) as they attempted to express their grievances over internal matters within the Ellembelle Constituency, the source said.
What appeared more worrying, the source said was the grave disrespect these youth showed to Awulae Amihere Kpayinli II, the paramount chief of the Eastern Nzema Traditional Area, Hon Kennedy Agyapong, the Board Chairman of Ghana Gas, Hon Freddy Blay, Board Chairman of GNPC, Hon Catherine Afeku, MMDCEs, and at the climax of the most revered festival in Nzemaland.
Intervention
But it appears that the plot backfired as the intervention of the rank and file of the party at the time avoided what had been described as a very embarrassing situation. The conduct by the youth group has since been condemned.
“Although the incident was unfortunate, the few party members were trying to make a point concerning continuous discrimination against them based on internal party differences by some officers of Ghana National Gas Company Limited whose responsibility is to ensure access to job opportunities by qualified persons without any discrimination”, a statement released by the NPP in the Ellembelle Constituency read.
“We wish to assure the aggrieved persons that their issues have been discussed with the Board Chair and CEO of the Company and are being addressed accordingly. The Party in Ellembelle Constituency is therefore calling on aggrieved members to stop calling for the removal of the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana National Gas Company Limited with immediate effect since he cannot be blamed for rather the party officers within ellembele who are equally officers of the Ghana National Gas Company in the Western Region.”
Apology
“By this release, we are rendering an unqualified apology to the CEO of Ghana National Gas Company Limited, Dr. Ben Asante, who has contributed to the development of the Ellembele District since taking office in 2017 for the attempt by the aggrieved persons to drag his name into disrepute.
We also wish to use this medium to apologize to Awulae Amihere Kpanyinli III, the Paramount Chief of Eastern Nzema Traditional Area as well as the District Chief Executive for Ellembelle, Hon. Kwasi Bonzoh for disregarding his intervention to stop the unfortunate incident. It is our strongest conviction that the Party will overcome the challenges and even emerge stronger to capture the Ellembelle Constituency Parliamentary seat for the New Patriotic in the 2024 General Election”, the statement concluded.