How an ex-NPP MP ‘tricked’ Asiedu Nketia into making an appearance on Peace FM

After two years and three months of boycott, an official of the National Democratic Congress finally made an appearance on Peace FM’s breakfast show, Kokrokoo.

Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the General Secretary of the party spoke on the boycott and answered some criticism leveled against the party.

It does, however, appear that Asiedu Nketia was for want of a better word ‘tricked’ into speaking on the show.

Asiedu Nketia, who was on the premises of Despite Media had gone into the Peace FM studios to greet the panelists and host of the Kokrokoo program, Kwame Sefa Kayi.

Just when he entered the studio, the former Member of Parliament of Manyhia North, Collins Amankwah hit him with accusations of hypocrisy over his party’s stance on the Ghana Card.

“It’s good that General is here. I will blame him partly for all that is going on. He held a press conference and told his supporters not to partake in the Ghana Card registration. Because of him, we missed deadlines upon deadlines. The Ghana Card process started with them in power. They told us the Ghana Card would be mandatory,” he said.

After exchanging pleasantries with the host and guests, Asiedu Nketia then sought permission from Sefa Kayi if he could respond to the accusations by Collins Amankwah.

“The NPP always misrepresents issues. When the NIA said they were going to do the registration without the use of the existing voters’ ID card, the NDC went to court. It was during the court process that we told our party members not to subscribe to it because we were challenging it in court. The court then passed a ruling and after the ruling, we held a presser urging our supporters to register. So how do you blame us?” he retorted.

After responding to allegations and explaining the party’s opposition to the new move by the Electoral Commission to have the Ghana Card as the only source document for continuous registration, Asiedu Nketia exited the show which had Kwesi Pratt, Collins Amankwa and Charles Owusu as panellists.

In May 2020, the Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi issued a press conference, announcing the party’s decision to boycott Kokrokoo.

Sammy Gyamfi, in his statement, made observations of bias and unfair panelling of the guests by the production team of the show.

Read his statement below

Background

The National Communication Bureau of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) wishes to inform all its Communicators, Media Monitors, and Officials that the Party has boycotted Peace (104.3) FM’s morning show (Kookrokoo) effective today, Wednesday, 6th May 2020.

This decision has been occasioned by the unfair panelling system that the Production Team of that program has continuously foisted on the NDC over a number of months. Specifically, the reason for this boycott has to do with the unreasonable decision of the Producers and Host of the program to permanently reserve one (1) of the two (2) slots the party has traditionally had on Wednesdays on the show to Mr. Allotey Jacobs, who is often introduced by the host of the program as a “Social Commentator with strong leanings to the NDC”, ostensibly to spite the NDC.

All efforts to get the Producers and Host of the program to give us a fair representation on the show over the past eight (8) months, including a complaint to the Management of the station for an amicable resolution of this matter, have proven futile, as the party continues to be treated with utmost contempt.

This unfair treatment flies in the face of the long-standing tradition of the program, which allocates two (2) slots each to the NDC and the NPP on Wednesdays and Fridays respectively. Although we appreciate the production and editorial discretion of the station to give their platform to whoever they deem fit, we consider it unfair for the NPP to maintain their two (2) slots on Fridays while the NDC’s two slots on Wednesdays are reduced to one (1), to satisfy the whim of a dictatorial Host and his poodle.

In protest to this flagrant disregard for fairness by the Host and Production Crew of the program, the National Communication Bureau of the NDC has decided to cease the placement of party communicators on the “Kookrokoo” show forthwith.

All Communicators, Media Monitors, Members, and Officials of the NDC are hereby entreated to refuse any invitations and/or interviews from the said program until the station addresses our concerns and reviews their unfair panelling system.

Signed.

SAMMY GYAMFI (National Communication Officer, NDC)

Watch Johnson Asiedu Nketia in the video below: