In a TV3 interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Dr. Duffuor said that no amount of criticism from some factions of the party would stop him from helping the youth of the NDC.
He added that he has no ulterior motive for implementing the Ahorto project other than his desire to help the NDC youth and, by extension, the youth of Ghana.
"I want us to help strengthen the country, strengthen the party, and it will affect everybody. Let us get together and help one another.
"No amount of insults or attacks will stop me from what I want to do for you (the grassroots of the party). I gave my salary to Ghana for four years, (and) never took a pesewa; people were insulting me at that time. I gave my ex-gratia to the country, they insulted me. Going to my hometown Kumawu, I set up a Rural Bank, and I have never taken sitting allowance for 30 years.
"We are different people. I am not doing this (the Ahorto project) because of anything. I feel in me that I should help people, and I am helping, that is all," he said.
Dr. Duffuor made these remarks after persons in the party criticised him for distributing items to its offices in Kumasi without recourse to leadership.
The General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, recently berated the ex-Finance Minister over the implementation of the Ahotor project.
According to Asiedu Nketia, there was an agreement after the programme launch that NDC would be in charge of the implementation. However, they have now gathered intelligence that he was going to distribute some equipment in Kumasi.
Speaking to the press after the annual conference for NDC lawyers, the general secretary and the party felt deceived because Duffuor should have brought the items for them to distribute and not do it by himself or other organisations.
"We have received information from Kumasi that Dr. Duffuor is going to distribute some equipment to our constituencies at Kumasi and we feel betrayed. It is not a bad thing if a former minister wants to support the party in any way, but there is a process that we go through," he said.
About the Ahotor Project:
Former Finance Minister Dr. Kwabena Duffour officially launched the Ahotor Project for grassroots members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Ashaiman in April.
The donation includes a Public Address (PA) system, 100 plastic chairs and 4 canopies which can be rented out to generate revenue for members.
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Duffour said the Ahotor Project is a real deal for progress, jobs, and generating sustainable revenue for use as welfare – such as hospital bills, funeral donations, school fees, etc.
"We want to create a situation whereby there will be money in the party coffers of every constituency. The project is going to make you fishers and not getting money from people all the time," Dr. Duffour said.
He said the project will be replicated in all 274 branches, beginning in the Greater Accra Region, and encouraged the leadership of the party in Ashaiman to ensure that they boost revenue to meet their needs.
Duffour tipped as flagbearer:
Meanwhile, Dr. Kwabena Duffour has been tipped as one of the possible candidates to contest for the NDC's flagbearership position for the 2024 elections.
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Former Finance Minister Dr. Kwabena Duffuor