Director-General of the National Lottery Authority (NLA) and a prominent member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Sammi Awuku, has made notable comments regarding the composition of political parties in Ghana.
Speaking on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’, Awuku stressed that political parties attract individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those involved in illicit activities.
He emphasized the significance of every vote, regardless of whether it comes from a religious leader or a criminal.
“The vote of a bishop is one and the vote of an armed robber is one. So why should I pretend that I am only campaigning for Bishops and Imams?” he stated during an interview on Peace FM’s morning show, Kokrokoo.
Awuku acknowledged that political campaigns target a wide audience, including individuals from marginalized communities such as “ghettos.”
Furthermore, he highlighted the importance of understanding and supporting individuals who may have engaged in illegal activities, suggesting that their circumstances might have led them to such actions.
Awuku underscored the role of political parties in offering opportunities for redemption and rehabilitation.
“You campaign to bad boys, there are ‘wee’ boys in there, the ‘powder’ boys are there, and etcetera. And so after doing all your campaigning to get the votes, it is not my duty to go and report that when I went to this person, they said they will vote for me, but he is an armed robber. Rather I am supposed to counsel him to get a job. Maybe circumstances pushed them into it,” he noted.
Political parties, according to Awuku, are a mix of “good and bad people” with different behaviors and motivations, adding that not all party members are academicians but include “ those who are level-headed, those who do bad things, and we have those who are willing to accept help to become better.”