The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has moved swiftly to douse growing public outrage following controversial comments made by its Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC, against the respected Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams.
In a statement issued from its national headquarters, the NPP’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, categorically disassociated the party from Abronye’s remarks, describing them as “unfortunate and unprovoked.”
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“The New Patriotic Party holds religious leadership in high regard and recognises the immense contributions of Archbishop Duncan-Williams and the broader religious community to national development, peace, and moral guidance,” the statement noted.
Abronye’s remarks, made during a recent appearance on Ohia TV, triggered swift backlash on social media, with several voices across the Christian community condemning his tone and content as disrespectful to one of Ghana’s most influential religious figures.
Reeling from the public criticism, the NPP emphasised that while it upholds the freedom of speech of its members, that right must be exercised with utmost responsibility, respect, and decorum.
“As a democratic and inclusive political tradition, we uphold the freedom of expression of our members, but we also expect such freedom to be exercised with responsibility,” Kodua stressed.
The party was clear in urging Ghanaians not to associate Abronye DC’s views with the broader party. “We urge the general public, especially the Christian community, to treat Mr Baffoe’s personal views as entirely his own and not attributable to the New Patriotic Party.”
The NPP assured the public of its commitment to building bridges, not burning them.
“The party remains committed to fostering respectful engagement across all sectors of Ghanaian society and will continue to work in partnership with religious institutions for the collective advancement of our country,” Mr. Kodua stressed