David Vondee, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Twifo Atti Morkwa, has made a U-turn on his defence of under fire agric minister, Bryan Acheampong.
The minister has been widely critiqued over the planned purchase of major stake in some hotels belonging to the state-owned pensions outfit, SSNIT, by his company, Rock City Hotels.
Vondee in an interview on Asempa FM said Bryan was a friend and businessman and that the fight against his business was unfair to the extent that he was only engaging in a public tender aimed at boosting his business prospects.
The NDC MP’s U-turn came in an interview on pro-NDC radio station, Power FM, where he apologized and retracted his support for the minister.
He explained that he fully supported North Tongu MP, Okudzeto Ablakwa’s campaign against purchase of state assets by politicians, which he emphasized was the position of the NDC Flagbearer for the 2024 polls, John Dramani Mahama.
“I apologize to the rank and file of all the NDC members who felt that what I said was unpalatable. I apologize to them and I take my words back totally,” he submitted.
“I didn’t mean to hurt the NDC and I am not opposed to Okudzeto Ablakwa (who led a protest against the SSNIT-Rock City deal). I stand by the position of non-purchase of state assets by politicians as championed by John Mahama and his running mate,” he emphasized.
According to him, he actually sponsored some of the people that attended the #HandsOffOurHotels demo Ablakwa led earlier in the week.
Stressing the viral tape of his support for the minister had been truncated but that it did not reflected his broader and known position on the matter.
Watch his apology below:
“I am very differing on the Bryan issue. Bryan is my friend so I talk about it differently. If you are selling something and I seek to buy it legally, under normal circumstances, I will buy it.
“So why is SSNIT that is seeking to sell our property being excused? And I don’t know how the NDC will understand me. Why is SSNIT being left off the hook and Bryan is being attacked frontally?
“By all standards, Bryan is a businessman, I am a businessman, if you think you don’t want to sell the hotels, stop the deal. The fact is that it is not good for the young man’s business,” he submitted on Accra-based Asempa FM on June 19.
Watch his submission below:
