Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, the daughter of the late Jerry John Rawlings and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Korle Klottey has expressed her disappointment over the recent outcome of a secret ballot in Ghana’s Parliament. The ballot saw the approval of six ministerial nominees, causing concern and outrage amongst some Ghanaians who feel the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has strayed from its principles.
In a Facebook post on Monday, Dr Agyeman-Rawlings noted that her father was a passionate supporter of the NDC and was always quick to reprimand the party whenever it deviated from its principles. As someone who has followed in her father’s political footsteps, she claimed to know what he would have done if he were still alive.
According to her post, the late Rawlings would have likely challenged all NDC MPs to swear on Antoa or dared them to take a lie-detector test to prove their loyalty to the party. The MP expressed her disappointment at the decision of some NDC MPs to vote in favour of the ministerial nominees, describing their actions as cowardly.
In her opinion, these individuals should have boldly opposed the NDC’s directive rather than hiding within the party to pursue their individual parochial agenda. Dr Agyeman-Rawlings described the pain she felt after the results were announced as indescribable.
Many Ghanaians have also expressed their loss of trust in the Minority and the NDC for approving the six ministerial nominees to join an already bloated Akufo-Addo government. Over the weekend, the NDC and some of its notable personalities issued statements condemning the actions of some of its MPs. Former President John Mahama called out the few NDC MPs who supported the nominees and urged them to undertake serious soul-searching to learn what it means to be nationalistic.
For Dr Agyeman-Rawlings, the recent incident should serve as a wake-up call for the NDC. She believed that the party had strayed from its fundamental principles and that this could no longer be ignored or brushed under the carpet. The MP’s comments have sparked further discussion and debate amongst Ghanaians about the direction of the NDC and its future.
