The Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin South, John Ntim Fordjour says the decision for an Independent parliamentary candidate to conduct a rally during the coronavirus pandemic was a “diabolic, inhuman and absolutely barbaric” one.
According to the MP, the aspirant, Joseph Kofi Damte, went against the COVID-19 safety protocols to put the lives of the constituents at risk “all in the name of vain politics and selfish political ambition”.
This backlash comes after some media stations reported that the Independent candidate conducted a rally on Saturday, July 4 at night to declare his political ambitions to the people of Assin Aworoso.
The social distancing protocol was not observed and most of these constituents failed to even put on their face masks.
This also comes at a time where the Central Region is currently the fourth on the list of regions with the highest number of COVID-19 cases in Ghana.
In a statement to criticise his opponent’s act, Mr. Ntim Fordjour expressed worry with the current health status of his constituents, especially those who attended the rally as he had earlier seen to it that his constituents received the needed medical attention through a free health screening exercise he had organised before COVID-19.
In his statement, he wondered why “an aspirant would willfully break laws when they seek to be a lawmaker”.
He asked, “I always wonder why some people are so bent on doing anything, going any length, including endangering the lives of the very people who require our protection and care; all in the name of seeking to occupy a political office. What would one gain by putting the lives of our innocent people at risk, at such a dangerous time when our people more than ever, need our leadership, care and support to stay healthy and alive?”
Mr. Ntim Fordjour further concluded by downplaying “the act of conducting political rallies in these dangerous times. I strongly condemn the act of willfully endangering the lives of the very vulnerable innocent people who crave our leadership, support and protection.”
Read the full statement below:
Political Rally in Covid-19 Barbaric: Rev Ntim Fordjour Slams Aspirant for Defying Covid-19 Laws with Rally in Assin South
On this same spot, in Assin Aworoso, on Saturday 13th July 2019, months before the advent of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic, light visited; hope visited, honour visited, healing visited, calm visited; I, John Ntim Fordjour together with a team of seasoned medical officers and health professionals from The Rebecca Foundation, visited the good people of Assin Aworoso with decently and orderly managed Free Medical Screening which catered to over 1500 women, men and children. So much joy was brought to the hearts of many in the town. People came to the Durbar ground with pain, sickness and infections, but they gladly returned home with relief, healing, and strength. Over 1500 people were treated for all kinds of diseases and given medication, all free of charge. Kind courtesy the formidable collaboration between my office and The Rebecca Foundation.
Fast-forward, four months into the peak of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic, with over 20,000 cumulatively confirmed cases and Central Region being a hotspot and the 4th highest epicentre in Ghana, on the same spot, same town Assin Aworoso, in the deep of the night, DARKNESS visited, CHAOS visited, possible SPREAD of diseases visited, DISHONOR visited. In utter defiance of EI 64 and in serious breach of the public order law, ‘INDEPENDENT ASPIRANT’ allegedly on Saturday 4th of July 2020, organized a political rally in the night and conspicuously gathered innocent unsuspecting people in a crowded mass gathering without social nor physical distancing, without face mask protection, in gross disregard for Covid-19 protocols and endangered their lives. All in the name of vain politics and selfish political ambition.
I always wonder why some people are so bent on doing anything, going any length, including endangering the lives of the very people who require our protection and care; all in the name of seeking to occupy a political office. What would one gain by putting the lives of our innocent people at risk, at such a dangerous time when our people more than ever, need our leadership, care and support to stay healthy and alive. Why would an aspirant willfully break laws when they seek to be a lawmaker? Somebody who has failed to supply a single Veronica Bucket to his own hometown and the very town he held the political rally, still had the insensitivity and effrontery to endanger vulnerable lives in the midst of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic.
Yet, the difference is clear. As clear as the LIGHT is from DARKNESS. The Apostle John rightly captures this notion in the very words of our saviour JESUS CHRIST in John 10:10; “THE THIEF COMETH NOT BUT TO STEAL, TO KILL, AND TO DESTROY. BUT I AM COME, THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE IN ABUNDANCE.”
Indeed by their fruits, you shall know them!
I strongly condemn the act of conducting political rallies in these dangerous times. I strongly condemn the act of willfully endangering the lives of the very vulnerable innocent people who crave our leadership, support and protection. It is diabolic, inhuman and absolutely barbaric for one to utterly defy the laws of the land with such impunity, endangering the lives of hundreds of vulnerable people, in the manner that was meted out by the ‘aspirant’. Those who are urging such perpetrators on, must equally bow down their heads in shame.
Lives are more important than rallies. People must not die at the hands of careless, reckless and insensitive people who just want to win elections at the cost of precious human lives.
I pray for the nation Ghana, I pray for Assin South, I pray for the world; we shall surely get out of the woods together, with discipline and ultimately, the grace of God Almighty.
God help us and save us from Covid-19 and all WICKED MEN who only seek to destroy the vulnerable, just to satisfy their selfish parochial myopic political interests.
#StaySafe
#Covid19isReal
#SelflessLeadership
