An overwhelming number of people, purported to be members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) taskforce, stormed the premises of the Ejisu-Juaben District office of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) over the appointment of a new manager.
The NDC taskforce, clad in red shirts and headbands, were chanting and causing destruction at the workplace. A video that has gone viral captured some youth nailing wooden slaps on the door of the director’s office with red material tied on the edges, signifying their displeasure at the appointment.
Speaking to UTV Midday News, Ejisu Constituency NDC Organiser, Sani Shaibu, stated that ahead of the December 7, 2024, general election, the leadership of the NDC government had promised to support the youth in the constituency with jobs but had failed to fulfill that promise.
“In this constituency, we really worked hard to win the election for the party. The bigwings in the party met us and pledged to give us jobs befitting members in the constituency. We were just hit with the news that the constituency has gotten a new manager; this annoyed us, which is the reason why we are protesting, and he is not from the town,” he said.
Sani Shaibu reiterated that the NDC youth in the constituency are bent on resisting his appointment, saying, “We are not giving him the chance to occupy the position because he is not from the constituency, and we don’t need him here.”
It will be recalled that in February, some executives of NDC in the Tema Central Constituency of the Greater Accra Region locked up the offices of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in protest against what they described as unfair and exclusionary appointment processes.
The action was led by Constituency Chairman Benjamin Djakumah. According to the executives, the appointments were made without consultation and overlooked several qualified party members in Tema Central. Chairman Djakumah said the constituency leadership is deeply unhappy with what he described as a recurring pattern of sidelining grassroots executives who worked tirelessly for the party’s success.
By Prince Fiifi Yorke