Afoko & Agyepong In Personality Clash

Many Ghanaians may not have taken notice but two official statements came out from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on the May Day celebration. One was from the National Chairman, Mr. Paul Afoko and other from Mr. Kwabena Agyepong, the General Secretary. An analysis in the May, 2014 issue of the Africa Watch indicates the possibility of a personality clash between these two leading personalities. Below is an excerpt: As if that was not controversial enough, on Workers� Day (May 1), Afoko issued a statement on behalf of the NPP, exhorting works to continue to serve the nation with all their soul and might despite the current hardships. �Our country is currently going through a bad patch and workers are at the receiving end of most of it all,� Afoko said. �Nevertheless, we encourage you to keep hope alive and continue to offer your best in our collective interest and effort to make our nation a better place.� It was a good statement by any definition released on behalf of the party by its elected national chairman. But Agyepong had other ideas. He also issued a statement on behalf of the NPP in his capacity as general secretary, praising workers and asking them to work tirelessly towards achieving economic progress and strengthening the country�s democracy. Agyepong went on: �The NPP acknowledges that the current economic hardships have worsened the plight of our workers and has adversely affected our nation�s development. Nevertheless, the NPP urges workers from the various sectors of the economy, especially organized labour, to remain steadfast in the collective interest of our dear nation Ghana.� It did not need the mind of a rocket scientist to see the similarities in what Afoko said on behalf of the NPP and what Agyepong later said on behalf of the NPP. This has raised disquieting eyebrows as to why the general secretary felt it necessary to also issue a statement when the nation chairperson had already spoken. What was the point of Agyepong�s statement when Afoko had already made similar remarks on behalf of the party? Or is it merely a personality clash?