• His comments about not employing NPP loyalists at NIA has courted heavy backlash
• While others are calling for his resignation, NDC is asking the NPP to rather render an apology to him
Earlier this week, the Executive Director of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Professor Ken Attafuah announced on Angel FM that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had directed him not to employ any executive of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the NIA.
He explained that the directive was to end the practice where public institutions are packed with party loyalists.
In the interview, he said: “The President, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, he has charged me that I should make sure no party executives are hired in the process. He does not want to leave a legacy of employing his party members and packing them into a particular sector. No!”
Professor Attafuah's comments have courted stinging backlash from the ruling party as some NPP bigwigs and grassroots members have publicly said they feel offended by those comments.
Some key people who have spoken on the issue include Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, Kennedy Agyapong, whereas the general secretary of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has also recently waded in.
‘Unwise’ Ken Attafuah's tongue should have guided him – Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko
NPP leading member, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko in a lengthy Facebook post described Ken Attafuah's comments as "reckless and unwise."
He opined that the NIA boss could have properly phrased his comments without stepping on the toes of unemployed party faithfuls.
Sharing his grievances in a post sighted by GhanaWeb, the cousin of President Akufo-Addo asked Ken Attafuah to check his excitement level when in public to avoid finding himself in a similar situation again.
"My good friend, Ken, should check his excitement levels when he has an audience. It helps! The bad way he said what he actually meant to say is what has caused this whole controversy. I do not think he meant it as it came out. Surely, he couldn’t have and I know so to be the case. His loyalty to the party and party members has never been in doubt," the post read in part.
Ken Attafuah must go – Kennedy Agyapong
Member of Parliament for the Assin Central constituency, Kennedy Agyapong had preceded Gabby in reacting to Attafuah. In his view, Professor Attafuah had embarrassed President Akufo-Addo with his comments.
He, therefore, called on the President to as a matter of urgency sack the NIA boss from office.
“Prof Attafuah must go because he has embarrassed the president...We will demonstrate against Professor Attafuah if he is not removed,” he said on NET 2 TV on Wednesday, June 8.
Is the NIA NPP’s headquarters? – Asiedu Nketia replies Kennedy Agyapong
Johnson Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary of the main opposition party, National Democratic Congress (NDC) tongue-lashed Kennedy Agyapong for calling for the resignation of the NIA boss.
In his view, Ken Attafuah should rather be lauded for respecting President Akufo-Addo's directive.
He furthered that the NPP kingpins should rather apologize to Attafuah for their undue harsh criticism.
“Have you seen the attacks on Attafuah? What sin has he committed? Is he being attacked because he said president Akufo-Addo says recruitment into the NIA should not be partisan? Elders of the party who know well and should commend the man are the ones slating him. I don’t trust what he said but at least he should be commended for saying it."
“Whether he’ll apply it or not is another issue. Those saying he should apologise, who should he apologise to? Is the NIA NPP headquarters or NPP private business. But I blame Attafuah himself. What he did during the registration has caught up with him. He created the impression that the organization is for the NPP so he is finding it difficult to change the principle," Asiedu Nketia added.
Professor Ken Attafuah, Executive Director of the National Identification Authority