Affirmative Action Is Needless Now; We Should Think Of Power First - Asabee

Following the agitations by NPP members over the NEC affirmative action, former Minister of Communication in the erstwhile Kufuor’s administration, Hon. Asamoah Boateng has called on the National Executive Committee to pull back the affirmative action.

According to the former Local Government Minister, the affirmative action which sort to stop male contenders from contesting the female incumbent MPs in the 16 constituencies is a bad directive which has the tendency to make the party to lose the 16 seats from the women MPs.

Speaking on Okay FM’s "Ade Akye Abia" Morning Show, Hon. Asabee as he is popularly known in politics said looking at the current situation in the country where God has prepared the grounds for NPP’s victory in 2016 elections, the affirmative action is needless as it will rather affect the plans of God for the party in 2016 elections.

“Affirmative action is needless at this moment because God has prepared the grounds for our victory in the 2016 elections. Looking at the hardship in the country, it is clear God want to use NPP to save Ghanaians and so we should think of the power first and after that we can think of a way to empower women in Parliament...there is no guarantee that the 16 seats we want to save for women can be ours if we maintain this directive; we can even lose 6 seats out of the 16 seats. We shouldn’t make this an entrenched position,” he asserted.

To him, NPP NEC idea of empowering women should not be done this way as this directive rather seems to pamper the women than to empower them; adding there should be free, fair and transparent competition for all contenders.

He however suggested to the NEC to consider giving safe seats to the women if they want to carry out this affirmative action as the 16 seats are even in danger which will require stronger people to win the seats back.

He reminded the NPP National Executive Committee to ignore the decision and rather move to the field by relating to the suffering masses to assure them of a hopeful Ghana under NPP; adding that “we should ignore this ‘big grammar’ as Africa politics is not done sitting in the office but on the grounds.

Commenting on the coastal belt candidature, Hon. Asamoah Boateng concluded the adopted proposal will rather bring division in the country if we encourage indigenes of every region and constituency to contest the seats in their respective areas.