The action was taken against the two, Alhaji Ibrahim Kaleem and Dawda Jentuma, for advancing the campaign of Minister of Trade, Alan Kyerematen, who is a flagbearer hopeful, on Radio Tamale; a community-based radio station, in disregard of the party’s directive.

The comments of the communicators according to the party have the tendency to disrupt President Nana Akufo-Addo’s governance and the peace within the party, hence the suspension which took effect last Thursday, January 6, 2022.

Addressing the press in Accra on Monday, the NPP group described the action as unhealthy.

“The Regional Chairman himself has supported the bid of the Vice President in audio, yet, he is sacking communicators from the party for attending events to talk about Alan Kyerematen. So just because of a studio audience, you have sacked somebody? Because they are behind such shameful dismissals, our national secretariat has been loudly quiet about the issues. We will leave this to the able hands of the National Executives to ensure that such issues are quickly resolved in order not to bring sharp division to the party”, the National President of the group, Jerry John Campbell, said.

“Our group has observed that there seems to be a grand scheme targeted at individuals who are perceived to be supporters of the Hon. Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen, to become the flag-bearer of the party and eventually the president of Ghana. It is rather worrying and an affront to our collective objective for known campaigners of Dr. Bawumia to threaten and in some cases sack persons perceived to be loyal to Mr. Kyerematen. Just last week Alhaji Ibrahim Kaleem, a member of the Northern Regional Communication team of the party, and Mr. Dawda Jentumah, Choggu West Electoral Area Coordinator in the Tamale Central Constituency were issued with suspension letters for discussing and advancing Mr. Kyerematen’s contribution to the party since 1992. This selective “canker” must not be encouraged.

He concluded by saying “Another electoral victory for the NPP is an automatic key to ensure the continuity in the development of Ghana our motherland, and we will not mince words but will speak directly to the powers that be, and boldly confront you to sit up, you stand to gain more if we win power and yet your attitude is less of bravado and more of puppets of mediocrity. This must stop before we start a campaign to ensure that no national officer is retained. You are therefore kindly advised to play by the very book you have written. For us, victory is all we need, and we will go to all ends to make sure it does not elude us.”

Background

In a statement signed by the Director of Communications for the Northern Region, Mohammed Sheriff Ibrahim, and directed to Ibrahim Kaleem, it said Mr. Kaleem’s participation in the radio program is in clear “violation of the directive issued by the Northern Regional Chairman of the NPP for party people to cease, among others all media engagements purporting to campaign for flagbearer hopefuls”.

In addition, the regional communication team says that jingles played, words used, among others on the said program bring the name of the party and government functionaries into disrepute.

“Any person who deals with Alhaji Ibrahim Kaleem as a member of the Northern Regional Communications Team does so at their own risk”, the statement cautioned.

The second suspended person, Dawda Jentuma, an NPP Electoral Area Coordinator also reacted to the suspension on Citi Eyewitness News saying; “Before you suspend a member from a party, there should be a proper disciplinary procedure, which must be communicated to the member. So, the letter they wrote is an incompetent one because even the name on it is not my official name”.

“But I am the coordinator and my electoral area is mentioned, so I am treating it with some respect, but we will not sit down for people to destroy the party.”

He added that if the situation is not handled properly, it will have consequences on the political fortunes of the NPP in the next general election.