NPP’s boycott of economic forum unfortunate — Nyaho Tamakloe

A leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Nyaho Nyaho Tamakloe, has described the party’s boycott of the National Economic Forum (NEF) currently underway at Akosombo in the Eastern Region as unfortunate and partisan.

He expressed his displeasure at the NPP’s decision, saying it was “untenable.” 

“I think it’s very unfortunate the party has taken a partisan position on such an all-important national issue. It’s very unfortunate as far as I am concerned,’’ he said.

The NPP on Monday announced that it would boycott the forum which began yesterday, and directed its members not to attend it.

The party cited the late receipt of invitation to the forum as the reason for its boycott. The National Chairman of the NPP, Mr Paul Afoko, described the forum as a “PR gimmick.”

“We will not be part of a deliberate propaganda and PR gimmick to hoodwink the good people of Ghana in the face of the monumental hardships we have been subjected to,” he said during a press conference in Accra.

But Dr Tamakloe said the significance of the forum was to collect ideas that would help the country out of the current economic difficulties. 

“It is the duty of the party to contribute towards this national agenda,” he said.

He explained that the party’s reason for the boycott was inadmissible and unimportant.

“I am not comfortable about the action of the party because this is a national event; once again, you will have others attending and we will be out,” he noted.

Another NPP stalwart, who also disagrees with the position of the party is Mr Yaw Osafo Marfo, a former Finance Minister under the NPP administration. 

The government, private sector and a cross-section of the Ghanaian public will profess plans necessary to address defects in the economy at the national economic forum currently underway.

The forum is aimed at achieving consensus on policies, strategies and measures to move Ghana from a lower middle income nation to an upper middle income economy.

The theme for the forum is: “Changing the Narrative: National Consensus for Social Transformation.”