‘Unrepentant’ Ayisi Boateng is pardoned – Ghanaians in SA

• Posted on November 3, 2017
• by Ellsamwise King
• Comment

The Association of Ghanaian citizens in South Africa say they have accepted the apology rendered by the Ghana’s High Commissioner to that country, George Ayisi Boateng, following his unsavory and divisive comment in Accra.

According to them, although they believe Mr. Ayisi Boateng may subconsciously prioritize members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in his dealings as he pledged, they are ready to meet with him and reach a compromise on how he can work fairly with them.

The President of the Association, Mr. E.K Ayayee, in an interview on Eyewitness News from South Africa on Thursday, called on Ghanaians to accept Mr. Ayisi Boateng’s apology.

George Ayisi Boateng came under serious public criticism after declaring that he prioritized members of the NPP in his dealings because he believed they were “more Ghanaian than others.”

He made the statement in an interaction with members of the tertiary education wing of the NPP, Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON), in Kumasi over the weekend.

In his address, he said, “this government is doing its best to create job opportunities and me for instance, I told my people over there [that], it is because of NPP that I’m here, so the NPP man is my priority. I told them when NDC was in power it was Kwesi Ahwoi who was there, now we are in power, so Ayisi-Boateng is here with you. My topmost priority is the problems of an NPP person before any other Ghanaian, take it or leave it.”

“Indeed I’m not boasting, but I’ve started meeting the NPP groups. Every weekend I meet some group members and I tell you if I had my way, every job opportunity that will come will go to a TESCON member before any other person. And I know my colleague appointees also have the same feeling except that because of IMF we cannot do anything now…,” he added.

Many chided him for the unpalatable words, but he defended his statement in a subsequent radio interview, using the analogy that he had to feed his wife and children first before feeding others.

The Minority in Parliament and many other groups called on President Akufo-Addo to sack Mr. Ayisi Boateng from his post, due to the “reprehensible” nature of his comment.

Mr. Ayisi Boateng however in a letter on Wednesday, apologized to the president, Nana Akufo-Addo, and Ghanaians for the negative effects his comment had caused.

This was after he had been called into a meeting at the Flagstaff House.

Although some Ghanaians have said the apology is not enough and called on the government to act firmly against the High Commissioner by dismissing him, the Ghanaian community in South Africa believes the apology is enough.

Mr. E.K Ayayee told Richard Sky on Eyewitness News that, “We wonder why it took him so long for a sober reflection; nevertheless we realize that to err is human, and that is why we want to accept his apology. We realized that he has perhaps won the hearts of people that is why he was put here in the first place but was not schooled enough on his responsibilities that is why he goofed. But now he may be able to come back well prepared for the position…. There is a possibility, subconsciously [to be divisive], he may still be having that, but we intend to have an audience with him and trash out the differences and move on.”

Ayisi Boateng must resign – Minority insists

Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament is maintaining its stance that Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, George Ayisi Boateng, should resign for pledging to prioritize New Patriotic Party (NPP) members in the execution of his mandate.

The Minority in a statement indicated that Mr. Ayisi Boateng’s apology will not suffice since he initially “treated with contempt our [Ghanaians] demand of him to retract and apologize for his unconscionable, bigoted and unconstitutional remarks.”

Source: Citifmonline