DEPUTY MINISTER for Finance and Economic Planning, Fiifi Kwetey, is under fire for gossiping to United States (US) diplomats about Muslims in the country.
US diplomatic cables leaked by Wikileaks have exposed the deputy minister undermining the political prowess of Ghanaian Muslims, making derogatory remarks that �A Muslims can never be elected as president of Ghana.�
Receiving condemnation since the release of the cables, Fiifi Kwetey has reportedly blamed the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) for propagating false information concerning what he told US diplomats.
However, the Nasara Wing of NPP, which is also a Muslim group within the party, has taken strong exception to Fiifi Kwetey�s attempt to blame the NPP for the derogatory remarks he made about Muslims in the cables.
A statement issued by Sulemana Abubakar, NPP Nasara national coordinator said, �The attempt to blame the NPP is childish, infantile, laughable and comical.�
Fiifi Kwetey, Nasara observed, had had a penchant for lying and also profited from vile propaganda after accusing the NPP of stealing Ghana�s gold reserves and masterminding the printing of fake bank accounts.
The group has asked Kwetey to apologise to Muslims for the �shameful and thoughtless insults he subjected us to when he met the United States officials�.
Prior to NPP�s 2008 presidential primaries, the US diplomatic cables quoted the deputy minister as saying, �Concerning Vice President Mahama�s Muslim faith�..religion is an important factor in Ghanaian politics and that many Christian Ghanaians would never vote for a Muslim presidential candidate.
�While most Ghanaians would not admit this openly, Kwetey said a Muslim could not be elected President of Ghana.�
Reacting, Nasara described Fiifi Kwetey�s comments as �insensitive; it is crass and denigrating to Muslims�.
Nasara also lambasted the deputy minister for reportedly insinuating that the choice of Alhaji Aliu Mahama as running mate to John Agyekum Kufuor for 2000 presidential elections, which the NPP won, was merely a window dressing.
�How can a position of Vice President, the number 2 man in Ghana be window dressing?�
Nasara quizzed rhetorically, adding, �We need to remind Fiifi Kwetey that the NPP has consistently chosen Muslim running mates in 1992, 2000, 2004 and 2008.�
The group asked whether Vice President John Mahama was a Muslim and why the NDC got rid of Mohammed Mumuni as running mate after the 2004 elections.
It also asked, �Why did the NDC reject Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu at their presidential primary? Is it because they don�t like Muslims?�
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