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The Member of Parliament for Asante Mampong, Kweku Ampratwumw-Sarpong has hit out at opponents of Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for playing tribal and religious cards against him in the heat to the NPP flagbearership contest.

The past week has seen a sustained tribal and religious campaign against Dr. Bawumia from the camps of his contenders.  

The MP for Asante Mampong, who is also the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, slammed those playing on the keyboard of tribalism.

"I am surprised by what my good friend Eugene has been saying. I know him very well from our days in London and I am really surprised," he condemned the divisive statements in an interview with Okay FM.

"This Christian and Muslim dichotomy that Eugene is introducing is unfortunate. He should know that these things are not a concern for us here in Ghana."

"Eugene should go back and look at other African countries which are predominantly Christians and Muslims are the leaders. You go to other countries, predominantly Muslims, and Christians are the leaders. Go to Senegal it is there. Senegal are predominantly Muslims but the leader is a Christian. Go to Tanzania, predominantly Christians, but the leader is a Muslim."

"We don't want this confusion and division in Ghana. We are not fundamentalists in Ghana. We are not fundamentalists Christians or fundamentalists Muslims."

Competence, Not Tribalism Or Religion 

The Deputy Minister also said Ghanaians are looking for a leader who is capable of meeting their aspirations and Dr. Bawumia's growing popularity, both within the NPP and outside, is because he has proven himself, not because of his tribal and religious affiliations.

"It is not about whether Dr. Bawumia is a Muslim or a Northerner. The most important thing is to look at his competence and capabilities. Can he deliver? Has he demonstrated that he is capable of delivering and providing the kind of leadership Ghana needs?"

"The man has demonstrated. He has proven it! Everything he does is a clear demonstration of his capabilities and his abilities to provide the kind of leadership in taking Ghana forward post Akufo-Addo. And it is going to happen in real time, not by virtue of the fact that he is a northerner or by virtue of religion."

"Ghanaians are not looking for tribal leadership. They are looking for someone who is competent and who is capable of delivering for us, and the man has shown that he is competent, he is visionary and he is capable."