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The Minister for Zongo and inner City Development, Abubakar Saddique Boniface, had some frank words for political party foot-soldiers who are seemingly pawns on Ghana’s political terrain.

He said he viewed the desperate and the poor as the main causalities in political tensions, and advised the masses to rethink their uncompromising loyalty to political parties.

The two main political parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are known to have some friction between them, which has, in the past, erupted into pockets of violence.

But speaking at a Town hall meeting organized by GHone Television for residents of Old Fadama in Accra, Alhaji Saddique was clear that when the foot soldiers of opposing political parties clash, the figureheads of these opposing parties make merry in the background.

The Minister, who has an MA in Conflict, peace and Security from the Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Center, noted that “all the conflicts you see in Ghana and outside is brought about by two things; poverty and politicians. When we finish, we go to drink tea and eat meat.”

He noted that key politicians had siblings on either sides of the political divide, and always reaped the fruits of governance. “Osafo-Marfo is in NPP, but his brother, Adjei Marfo is in NDC. Sherry Ayitey is NDC but her elder brother, Professor Ayitey is NPP. NDC lawyer, Larry Adjetey is the son of NPP’s Peter Ala Adjetey. Samuel Jinapor is NPP, his elder brother John Jinapor is NDC, and then myself I am NPP but my elder brother, Baba Kamara is NDC so how can we fight.”

“We will never starve in my house. My party, the NPP, may have been in opposition but I was not. When the NDC was in power, I always got what I wanted from my brother Kamar and today when he needs anything, I will give to him. So think about this,” Alhaji Sad