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29.09.2016 Headlines

YOU CAN STOWAWAY ….NDC Tells Takoradi Youth

29.09.2016 LISTEN
By Ghanaian Chronicle

From Alfred Adams, Takoradi
While ports across the world and governments are doing everything possible to prevent the incidents of people stowing-away into their countries, Solomon Nkansah, Communications Director of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) is encouraging the youth in Sekondi-Takoradi, who are interested in embarking on such trips to look for greener pastures abroad to do so.

According to him, the NDC as a party would not arrest or prosecute anybody for attempting to stowaway to other countries in search of greener pastures.

This unfortunate statement, coming from no less a personality than the NDC National Communications Director did not only shock the packed to capacity party crowd, but it practically marred the occasion.

The statement from Mr. Nkansah, who had been invited to speak at the campaign launch of Alfred Ekow Gyan, the party's Parliamentary Candidate for the Takoradi Constituency on Tuesday, attracted thunderous applause from the supporters of the party.

Speaking in the local Fanti language, Solomon Nkansah told the party supporters at New-Takoradi that the days where a government barricaded the Takoradi Port to prevent the youth from stowing-away are long gone, especially not at this time that the NDC government is expanding the port.

Though Solomon Nkansah did not mention the name of any particular government, many people within the crowd and beyond were pointing accusing fingers at the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Stating that the act of stowing-away has its own positive social impact on the lives of the individuals and their families, the NDC Communications Director said the practice has helped to shape the lives of many youth who have traveled outside, worked and return to build houses for their families.

His statement has, however, ignited controversy on radio stations in Takoradi, with two Members of Parliament (MPs) condemning the NDC Chief Linguist for promoting what they referred to as 'illegal' trips.

The Member of Parliament for the Takoradi Constituency, Kobby Okyere Darko-Mensah condemned in no uncertain terms the loose talk of the NDC top official.

Speaking on Sky Power FM, a local radio station in Takoradi, Mr. Darko-Mensah told listeners that the loose talk coming from no other person than the Communication Director of the NDC was unfortunate, stressing that it should be condemned by all.

According to the MP, the statement from Mr. Nkansah was an indication that the party is desperate to retain power, adding if that was not the case, the Communications Director would not have made such a declaration at a campaign launch.

On his part, MP for the Effia constituency, Joseph Cudjoe, slammed Solomon Nkansah for what he described as an irresponsible statement.

Later, when the host of the programme on the radio station called Solomon Nkansah on phone to react to the statement, the NDC Communications Director shocked listeners of the station by mounting a heavy defense to why he felt it was a good thing to do.

According to him, the act of stowing-away has some very positive impact on the lives of the families of the beneficiaries, as it helps to cushion them.

When asked whether he knew stow-away was a crime under the 1992 constitution, Mr. Nkansah refused to answer, blaming the host of the programme for picking and selecting which aspect of his statement made at the launch he wanted to comment on.

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