A leading member of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Yaw Osafo Maafo, has expressed grave displeasure at the party’s decision to boycott the National Economic Forum expected to take place on Tuesday, May 13, at Akosombo in the Eastern region.
He described as unfortunate the failure of the party in consulting him before taken the decision since “I have been invited in my personal capacity as former Finance Minister in the erstwhile Kufour administration and I see it as a national call”.
Contributing to discussions on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Monday, Mr. Osafo Maafo expressed shock at the NPP’s decision to boycott the national forum.
“Common etiquette should tell them that they should have informed me before talking that decision. We are in a democratic dispensation so things must be don’t right”, he bemoaned.
The NPP has cited late receipt of invitation to the forum as reason for its boycott of the economic forum and has therefore directed all its members not to attend.
Announcing the boycott at a press conference in Accra on Monday, the National Chairman, Paul Afoko described the forum as a “PR gimmick”.
He pointed out that though the NPP is committed towards consensus building and partnership in national development, they would not be part of a “deliberate propaganda and PR gimmick, to hoodwink the good people of Ghana in the face of monumental hardships we have been subjected to.”
Additionally, the former Finance Minister indicated that though he does not know the reasons adduced for the boycott of the economic forum, “it is wrong” for the party to take such a decision.
Osafo Maafo, who is putting finishing touches to his presentation, said he is yet to receive a formal communication from the party.
