Speaking at the 6th Atta Mills commemorative lecture, the longest serving Finance Minister in the country’s history said, the issue about ethical politics are as important in internal party politics as they are in the national discourse.

In what may perhaps be his first public utterance after leading a committee to investigate the cause of the NDC’s humiliating defeat in the 2016 elections, Prof Botchwey said bitterness, integrity defects in the appointments of party executives and a general absence of ethical politics contributed to the party’s defeat.

READ: Police man kills 3 robbers, 4 escape with gunshot wounds

He was quick to add that the party is working feverishly to restore ethicality in its organizational set-up.

Prof Kwesi Botchwey was speaking on the theme: “Ethicality democracy and national development; the legacy of President Atta Mills.”

A classmate and friend to Atta Mills, a person with whom he shared a common passion, Prof Botchwey spoke fondly and highly of the late president who passed away on July 24, 2012 after a short illness.

He said the late president John Mills was a symbol of ethicality- honesty, humility and decency- who pledged to be guided always by making the right decision and not a hasty one.

These values he said must be expressed and exhibited at all times if the country will develop through democracy.

READ: Gov’t to meet doctors to avert strike

“There is a relationship between democracy and economic development,” he stated, adding, many policies of national development, policy formulation and taxation need cross-partisan support even when there is the dominant party in parliament.

He said in assessing the risk of their investment decisions, investors use the ability of opposition parties in parliament to cripple government’s policy and challenged leaders, especially those in government to be able to consult widely on issues of mutual interest and national development.

Seed of debilitating conflict

Prof Botchwey expressed worry over what he said is the increasing polarization of the country’s politics, a development, he said has caught the attention of the clergy, professionals and other stakeholders.

READ: Rejected Berekum DCE chases assembly members for ‘bribe’ cash (AUDIO)

He stated the country is slowly sowing the seed of debilitating conflict if it does not do something about the polarized country.

“We need to step back from the brink and begin to ethicalize by curbing the case of vengeance and recrimination,” he stated.

There have reports of insults and assaults during the committee hearing that is seeking to find answers to why the party lost the 2016 general elections.

According to Mr. Bismarck Tawiah Boateng, such interruptions during the Committee’s meetings will mar the intent of the party to unraveling the cause of the defeat the NDC suffered in the 2016 general elections.

Hearing by the Prof. Kwesi Botchwey led committee probing the 2016 election defeat of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) party was interrupted following a fight between two internal opposing groups in the Lower Manya Krobo Constituency on Friday.

The clashes led to injuries of some supporters of the party.

The incident happened when angry youth stormed the Somanya Community Center where the meeting was being held with placards in protest against their executives accusing them of collapsing the party in a constituency which is the NDC stronghold.

The angry youth said the party’s shambolic performance in the constituency in 2016 was to be blamed on the arrogance of the party executives.

Speaking to the issues on Okay FM’s ‘Ade Akye Abia’ Morning Show Mr Boateng urged his party members not to engage in a scuffle to ruin the Committee’s work to ascertain the cause of the party’s defeat in last year’s elections.

“I want to take this opportunity to make our party members to understand that if Kwesi Botchwey’s Committee engages you in a meeting to ascertain the cause of defeat, don’t engage them in a scuffle but rather be bold to speak the truth to the committee if even your comment is against any personality present at the meeting,” he urged.

“This will help the Committee to know how the defeat came about and work against it. We know that NDC will come back to power with God on our side, but we should do things in truth, in modest and in unity as a party,” he averred.

source: peacefm