..For US Harvard Kennedy School
The National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has done the unthinkable by abandoning his party in the middle of the Kumawu Constituency by-election to jet off to the United States of America (USA) for a special leadership programme priced at almost US$100,000.
Interestingly, his party’s presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama and several national executive leaders, including its National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu-Nketiah and its General Secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, are either on their way to Kumawu for the by-election or already vigorously campaigning there in a Constituency that they expect to makes a good showing.
But as pictures of the NDC leadership emerge from the Kumawu in the Ashanti Region, those of their National Communications Officer posing at the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education, are also trending on social media platforms.
Sammy Gyamfi’s pictures went viral after he had posted them on his Facebook page, saying “it’s been a riveting experience learning new things about public leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School under their Emerging Leaders and Strategic Leadership Executive Education courses”.
The opposition party’s communication, has lacked depth and strategy with many seeing it as a one-man show as most of the regional communications officers exist only in name and not substance and a coordinated brief winning souls into the NDC fold.
This is happening at a time, the party’s presidential candidate has asked people, including supporters of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) who are disappointed in the performance of the Addo-Akufo government to join him to kick it out in the midst of the economic hardship, bad governance and mismanagement of national resources.
It is not clear, whether he was in town for Saturday, May 13, 2023 Presidential and Parliamentary primaries, but most of the party’s communication around the polls were done by Mustapha Gbenade, a Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, especially those that had to do with the interlocutory injunction filed by ex-Finance Minister, Dr Kwabena Duffour, alleging irregularities in the register for the election.
Sometime last year, the NDC National Communications Officer was forced to respond to speculation that he owns six Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles and a luxurious mansion at Airport Hills in Accra, despite crying poverty on many media platforms.
According to him, such comments may be a prophecy about his life because he currently owns only one Toyota Land Cruiser vehicle, which was gifted to him by a benefactor who loves former President John Mahama.
“…I am not the owner of any of those houses…,” Mr Gyamfi said in an interview on Accra-based Onua TV on Wednesday morning (Dec 14, 2022).
Mr Gyamfi, ahead of his wedding, spent time responding to allegations levelled against him by his critics, including the re-elected National Youth Organiser of the NDC, George Apare Addo alias Pablo.
He said, it was his prayer to own such houses and the project that he was working on would be five times what was shown in pictures and videos which were circulated on social media.
He said he had never been appointed to a government post or been a thief in his private life, so he was not bothered by such questions.
Mr Gyamfi, said God had blessed him, so he would not deceive the grassroots of the party that he was poor. He said benefactors, including Ibrahim Mahama, who have been very good to him and supported his lifestyle.
In a radio interview on Accra based Power FM, Pablo who narrowly defeated Yaw Brogya Genfi in the youth organiser contest, said that he contested Sammy Gyamfi and not Brogya.
He dared Sammy Gyamfi to justify the ownership of his alleged Airport Hills home and disclose his source of income.
On Kumawu, Mr Mahama, has led a delegation there to campaign for the party’s parliamentary candidate in the upcoming by-election slated for tomorrow, May 23, 2023, following the death of the MP for the constituency who was buried on Saturday.
The leadership of the NDC, has been in the Constituency supporting the candidate, Akwasi Amankwa, and his executives in the campaign.
On Friday, May 19, Mr Mahama visited the family of the late Philip Atta Basoah, to commiserate with them.
He was accompanied by the NDC parliamentary candidate for Kumawu, Kwasi Amankwaa, General Secretary, Fifi Kwetey, Ashanti Regional Chairman, Andrew Nana Kwasi and other executives.
Philip Basoah, the late New Patriotic Party MP for Kumawu, died on March 27, 2023.
The grieving family of the late MP, expressed their appreciation to Mr Mahama for the visit and sympathizing with them.
On Saturday, the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, his Vice Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and other members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) were in Kumawu for the funeral rites of the late MP.
The late MP who died on March 27 was laid to rest in Kumawu. His funeral rites attracted members from both the NPP and the NDC.
Amongst other dignitaries seen at the funeral grounds were a failed presidential hopeful of the NDC, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, 2nd lady Samira Bawumia, Ashanti regional Chairman of NPP, Bernard Antwi Boasiako popularly known as Chairman ‘Wontumi’.
Others include: NPP National Chairman, Stephen Ntim, Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, NPP parliamentary candidate for Kumawu, Ernest Yaw Ntim, National Organiser of NPP, Henry Nana Boakye popularly known as ‘Nana B’, NDC parliamentary candidate, Kwasi Amankwaa widely known as ‘Tom Cee’, amongst others.
Dr Bawumia in a Facebook post, said the NPP, constituents of the late MP and Ghana as a whole are grateful for his services.
“Fare thee well, my brother, friend and colleague patriot, Philip Basoah. The NPP, Kumawu Constituency, and Ghana are grateful for your services. Rest in peace,” the Vice President wrote on his Facebook page.
