Newly-elected Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Freddie Blay, has described as “very foolish”, claims that the timing for bringing in some 100 of 275 buses he promised the party, smacked of vote-buying.
“It is amazing that people will suggest that”, he said, adding “it’s very foolish for people to ask that”.
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“It’s amazing that people will even suggest that and journalists will buy into that. Why now? If yesterday I didn’t do business, today I want to do business, “why am I now into business? It’s a very foolish question for people to ask”.
Speaking to Joy News’ Kojo Yankson on the AM Show on the Joy News channel Tuesday, Mr Blay said the buses were meant for commercial purposes by the party.
Anti-graft body Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), the Minority in Parliament, main opposition, National Democratic Congress (NDC) and President of the National House of Chiefs, Togbe Afede, have all expressed reservations about the buses, saying such moves monetise Ghanaian politics and engender corruption.
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But Mr Blay said he started arrangements to bring in the buses some eleven months ago – way before the internal polls held on Saturday, 7 July.
At the time, “I had not decided to contest yet”, he told Accra-based Joy FM’s Kojo Yankson in an interview.
Mr Blay, however, said critics like Togbe Afede do not know what they talking about.
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“Maybe he doesn’t know what he is talking about”, adding “…before then, I arranged 200 motorbikes for the regions and two or three pickups for each region”.
He also stated that he informed the party officially about his decision to buy the buses.
“I informed the steering committee, I told them at a meeting,” he said.
Why is Fredi Blay characterise with insult whenever he is defending his position on a matter. The younger generation is watching you the leaders. Your actions and inactions speak volumes. So I will suggest to Fredi Blay to calm down educate the populace on his actions. This is the only way the younger ones will learn.