In an act of internal defiance, the youth wing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Akan constituency has taken the dramatic step of barricading two critical government offices.
Led by the Constituency Youth Organiser, Mr. Sampson Quashigah, angry youth shut down the local offices of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO).
The closure of the NHIS office, in particular, has disrupted a vital public service, preventing residents from registering for new health insurance cards or renewing existing ones.
The youth group accused their Member of Parliament (MP), Mr. Yao Gomado, of cronyism, alleged financial malfeasance, and sowing a seed of discord within the rank and file of the governing party.
The closure of the two offices is a desperate attempt to draw the attention of the national executives to their grievances as formal channels communication have so far been ignored.
At the heart of the controversy is the MP’s alleged practice of rescinding promised appointments of dedicated party officials and handing them to his close associates.
A key figure in the allegations is Mr. Emmanuel Klu, the MP’s personal assistant and constituency Elections Director of the NDC, who was appointed as head the NHIS in the area.
Mr. Quashigah launched a series of allegations against Mr. Klu Emmanuel, whom he alleged, is a chief architect of a fraudulent invoice scheme.
“How could a sensitive position such as NHIS be given to someone alleged to be a criminal?” Quashigah questioned rhetorically.
He revealed that MP recently withdrew GH¢300,000 for the payment of drilled boreholes that a foreign NGO had already paid for.
Mr Gomado, according to the constituency youth organiser, again requested for additional GH¢49,950 for the purchase of hair dryers and sewing machines from his MP’s share of the common fund with fake invoices.
Mr Guashigah cited Klu Emmanuel as being the brain behind these fake invoices, which he also claimed was not an isolated occurrence.
According to him, it is a “repeated issue” that has only recently been detected, suggesting years of potential financial impropriety.
Mr. Quashigah also alleged that there was no way the MP could have withdrawn that colossal amounts with the connivance of the Klu Emmanuel.
He that the only money the MP could have withdrawn from his common fund is the counterpart funding, which is less than the amount he had requested.
Call for probe
Consequently, Mr Guashigh has asked external or independent auditors to take up the issue so they can name and shame corrupt leaders.
The youth organiser claimed that the MP’s personal assistant Klu Emmanuel, has all this, been generating fake invoices for the MP to withdraw colossal amounts of money.
He queried how such an individual with a bad record could be allowed to occupy such a sensitive position as the district director of NHIS.
Mr Quashigah charged the security agencies and law enforcement agencies to do forensic auditing for all the invoices that the MP used in the last five years he has been a lawmaker, to withdraw money from his share of the common fund.
Use of fake title
The Akan Constituncy Youth Organiser, Mr Guashigah has also questioned the MP’s integrity, accusing him of allegedly using the professional title ‘Ing’ or ‘Engr’ without the requisite qualifications.
He called on the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and the Association of Engineers to investigate, stating, “the title is earned through hard work, hence it can’t be used as a mere title.”
Constituency in turmoil
The Akan Constituency Youth Organiser painted a picture of a constituency in turmoil since the MP took office.
“Ever since the MP surfaced in the Akan Constituency, the NDC has never known peace,” he asserted, accusing Mr Gomado of employing “divide and rule tactics” that fracture party unity, which only temporarily mends during general elections.
First warning
The agitating youth issued a stern warning that the current closure of the NHIS and NADMO offices is just a first step.
The group has vowed to escalate their disruptive actions if the party’s national leadership and the government do not immediately address their petition and reverse the contested appointments.
The situation in Akan constituency represents a profound breakdown of trust and a bold challenge to the authority of a sitting MP from within his own party, setting a tense precedent for the governing party’s internal dynamics ahead of the next electoral cycle.
By Adjei Worlanyo Frank
