'Does NPP still have the men?' – Prof. Gyampo wonders

An Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Ghana is wondering if the pre-2016 election promise by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that they have the men to govern the country still holds.

Prof Ransford Gyampo’s quandary follows the reappointment of Kwame Owusu to Chair the Board of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

Mr Owusu grabbed headlines last year when as head of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) he allegedly expended GHS66, 000 to build a kitchen cabinet. He also admitted spending GHS1 million to renovate a two-bedroom house into a four-bedroom house – many said the price tag on the renovation was too high.

Mr Owusu also raised eyebrows when it emerged that the refurbished house had 11 air-conditioners. He defended the number of air conditioners, arguing that the number should have been 13 because that was more fitting of his status as Director General of the Maritime Authority.

Related: Maritime saga: Allegations not basis for removal; Baako calls for further probe

Shortly after the scandals that hit Mr Owusu at the Ghana Maritime Authority, he resigned although the outcome of a probe into allegations of financial misappropriation remains shrouded.

Commenting Saturday on news analysis show, Newsfile, Prof Ransford Gyampo, wondered why the governing NPP would risk controversy by reappointing Mr Owusu.

Photo (above): Prof Ransford Gyampo

”His [Mr Owusu] own responses when this issue popped up weren’t helpful. The sarcasm and arrogance displayed were and the way and manner he went about it weren’t helpful.

”Again, I have a little difficulty. The current administration NPP, are they still touted as the party that has the men to govern? If the party still stands by that reputation of having the men to govern...then it’s a bit difficult for me to see why the same person, who is 65 years, comes back,” Prof Gyampo said on Newsfile. 

Another revelation against Mr Kwame Owusu that irked the majority of Ghanaians was that he blew GHS135,125 one night on food and GHS10,652 on another occasion on food for just eight people.

Related: Maritime Authority boss admits holding end-of-year dinner at own hotel

Prof Gyampo said Mr Owusu’s reappointment “also creates the impression that maybe the President wasn’t that much concerned about the allegations that were levelled against him.”

 

 

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