Minority wants Keta Sea Defence project captured in 2022 budget
NAPO kicks against the inclusion of the project in the budget
Sammy Gyamfi has asked NAPO to retract and apologize
Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress, has berated Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Minister of Energy, over his threat to demonstrate against the government if the Keta Sea Defence project is captured in the 2022 budget.
Sammy Gyamfi holds that the statement by NAPO is a manifestation of tribalism and arrogance within the ruling New Patriotic Party.
Sammy Gyamfi on Asempa FM demanded the immediate retraction of the statement and chided NAPO for being insensitive to the plight of the Keta residents.
Sammy Gyamfi defended the campaign by the NDC caucus in Parliament for the inclusion of the project in the 2022 budget.
“He has no sympathy for the people of Keta. A whole minister and you don’t feel any sympathy for people who have been hit with a disaster. Let’s assume without admitting that Kumasi has been hit with flooding, as a responsible minister, what you do is to call for help for both Keta and Kumasi people but you don’t threaten to embark on demonstration if Keta residents get help from the government. Are Kumasi people better than Keta residents?
“Why do you look down people like that. Why is NPP so tribalistic? Is he against MPs advocating for provisions for Keta people? He is an MP so if he thinks Kumasi residents need help, he should advocate for them in Parliament. What kind of arrogance is that? What is wrong with MPs demanding help for victims of tidal wave. He should retract the statement”, he said.
Matthew Opoku Prempeh in an interview with Asempa questioned why the minority MPs would advocate for help for the victims of the tidal waves and not demand for Kumasi residents who have experienced flooding recently.
“Kumasi has been flooded four times but I didn’t see Kumasi in the budget. If the Finance Minister includes the Keta Sea Defence Project in the budget, I will vote for zero percent (E-levy).
“Budget is a national business document that cannot solve all our problems in a day. Between 1998 and 2000, NDC went for money for sea defence at Keta, they chopped the money. They used the money something else. When NDC were in power, Keta was still experiencing tidal waves. They went for a loan in the name of that project but they didn’t do it. President Kufuor had to contract another loan for it but they still voted against him.
“Eight years of NDC (2008-2016) I didn’t see Keta Sea Defence Project anywhere so if you go to opposition and you ask me to include it in the budget when Kumasi flooding is also not in the budget, we’ll protest. If the Finance Minister makes a mistake and adds it to the budget, I will lead Kumasi residents on a demonstration,” he said on Asempa FM.
