Former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and aspiring National Chairman, John Boadu, says no member of the party has more justification to feel bitter than he does, considering the sacrifices he made and the treatment he received in return.
Speaking on The Spotlight programme on Movement TV, Mr. Boadu recounted years of service to the NPP which, he claimed, were rewarded only with a late appointment as Director-General of the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), for which he says he has still not received any salary.
“After many years of sacrifice and service, the only appointment I was given was Director-General of SIGA, and that was just for one year. Up to date, I have not been paid even one cedi as salary for that work until we lost power in 2024,” he alleged.
Despite describing himself as a “disciple” of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Mr. Boadu maintained that he was overlooked for ministerial and other top government positions throughout the Akufo-Addo administration.
“Ask yourself, how come I, an Akufo-Addo disciple, lost the General Secretary election in July 2022? Under his regime, with all the juicy positions available, I could not get any,” he said. “Only SIGA was given to me. Even with SIGA, my salary till date I haven’t received it. Not even 1 cedi.”
When the host asked whether he had rejected the SIGA remuneration, Mr. Boadu replied that the issue was due to bureaucratic delays.
“It was not ready. Currently, the Director-General there till date hasn’t been paid. You know government work and the bureaucracy. We are in November, and when I went there, it was the same story,” he added.
Mr. Boadu further revealed that his long years as a national officer of the party did not translate into government appointments during the NPP’s first stint in power from 2001 to 2008.
“When we were in power from 2000 to 2008, I was a national officer but I did not get any ministerial position or government job,” he said. “If we had lost the 2016 election, by now my political career would have ended. But after we won, I still did not go for any appointment.”
He insisted that, given this record, he has more grounds than most to harbour resentment, but has chosen not to.
“So if someone should be bitter in this party, nobody can say he is more bitter than I am,” Mr. Boadu stated.
“The party and the government did not treat me well, but I have never given up. There are people in the party who have suffered more than me, but as for me, I have worked to become General Secretary before.”
Mr. Boadu stressed that party service must rise above personal grievances, especially for anyone seeking to lead at the highest level.
“It is the party we are serving. This is not the time to treat people based on payback for what has been done to you or against you,” he said.
“If that kind of heart comes into the running of the party, particularly when you are National Chairman, it will be wrong. As National Chairman, you must be the father of the party.”
Source: www.Kumasimail.com
