Let's stop the 'blame game' and forge ahead in unity - Dabie-Appiah

A leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Bono Region, Yaw Dabie-Appiah has called on supporters of the party to stop the 'blame game' syndrome in the party's abysmal performance in the parliamentary elections.

Instead, they must forge ahead in unity, identify and help tackle diverse challenges that confronted the party and led to its poor performance in the just-ended general election.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Odumase in the Sunyani West District, Mr Yaw Dabie-Appiah, a former Organiser of the NPP said bad tendencies that could create disunity within the rank and file and impede their growth ought to be avoided.

He said 'blame game and unnecessary pointing of figures' on each other would do the party harm and consequently affect its fortunes in 2024.

Mr Dabie-Appiah congratulated President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Members of Parliament (MPs) elect, saying they would require absolute support from the party supporters at all levels to deliver their mandate as expected and bring the development of the nation to the next level.

He implored the leadership of the party to expedite action and resolve understanding among supporters in order to prevent divisions that could affect the party in the long term.

Describing the NPP as a strong party under a 'great elephant', Mr Dabie-Appiah said election 2024 was not all that far, and that the performance of President Akufo-Addo and the MPs would determine the party's fortunes and next victory.

"Now that election 2020 is over, we must remain calm and rally solidly behind our President and the MPs to deliver their best for mother Ghana. After all, development is what Ghanaians are yearning for. I know for certainty many of the MPs have learnt their lessons and we must not compound the situation", he said.

"Huge responsibility is placed on all of us to ensure that our great party thrives in unity, and from strength to strength to enable us prepare adequately and to make significant inroads in the next 2024 general election".

He asked party supporters lobbying for various appointments and positions in the next President Akufo-Addo's administration to be patient and do that in the spirit of unity in order not to mount unnecessary tensions and worsen the party’s situation, as the leadership tried to resolve emerging misunderstandings.

"President Akufo-Addo needs ample time to select his ministers and make appointments. It will be politically immature for supporters to mount unnecessary pressures and give the President a divided attention. We all did our best in the election and I believe the President in his own wisdom will appoint people who can do the job and do it better in the supreme interest of Ghana and the NPP.

"It is not wrong for people to lobby their way through and get appointments, but it would also be premature for people to be sleeping around the President's residence in their bid to seek political portfolios", the former organiser added.

He said the success of President Akufo-Addo's next government and the victory of the NPP in the next 2024 elections depended on the calibre of people that would be appointed to serve under his watch and expressed the hope that deserving party supporters would be considered in the appointments.