SOME NDC, NPP FIGURES DIDN’T LIKE OUR FRIENDSHIP – ASIEDU NKETIA MOURNS SIR JOHN

• Some party members were not happy with our friendship.

• I remember during the election petition trial when he was charged for contempt and had to appear before the supreme court, I knew I couldn’t leave him alone, I supported him and that created problems for us but we didn’t mind, we thought that was the way to go.

General Secretary of NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia (Left) and Former General Secretary of NPP, Lawyer Kojo Owusu Afriyie (Right)

The General Secretary of the opposition NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia has reacted to news of the death of former General Secretary of the governing NPP, Lawyer Kojo Owusu Afriyie, popularly known as Sir John.

Describing him as a good friend, General Mosquito said some party members were not happy with their friendship.

“I remember during the election petition trial when he was charged for contempt and had to appear before the supreme court, I knew I couldn’t leave him alone, I supported him and that created problems for us but we didn’t mind, we thought that was the way to go”

General Mosquito revealed that he rallied support for Sir John before his supreme court appearance by arranging a meeting between the General Secretaries of all political parties with representation in parliament at the time on how to help with his brother.

“In fact, the night before he was put in the box, we spent time on the phone. As at 1:00 am we were still on the phone and I was encouraging him” he said.

According to him, he went all length to see Sir John released because his (Sir John’s) conviction had no impact on the outcome of the case.

Sir John

“I even went to see his party leadership to tell them not to abandon my brother but some of them turned my request down but I just couldn’t turn my back on him.

“According to them, they were punishing him (Sir John) for holding a meeting with me an NDC member when their party was in court challenging the legitimacy of the NDC government.

“Sir John later explained to them that if his party whom he had gone on radio to communicate for would abandon him in times of trouble, he sees nothing wrong with a holding a meeting with a friend (from an opposing party) who is willing to help,” Aseidu Nketia recounted.

Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie was reported to have passed away at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital on Wednesday, July 1, 2020.

The lawyer and politician is reported to have died of the novel coronavirus infection at the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital.

Profile

Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie was born in the Ashanti Region. He attended Seventh Day Adventist Secondary School in Bekwai from where he obtained his GCE Ordinary level certificate.

He then proceeded to obtain his GCE Advanced level certificate from Konongo Odumase Secondary School in Konongo.

Mr. Owusu Afriyie was admitted to study political science at the University of Ghana after which he enrolled at the Ghana School of Law where he graduated with Bachelor of Laws (LLB).

He was then admitted as a solicitor and counsel for the Supreme Court of Ghana.

Sir John entered into private law practice in 1981.

During the John Agyekum Kufuor administration, he was appointed head of legal services at the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).

He was later made to act as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the corporation.

While managing his firm, Afriyie was also actively engaged in Ghanaian politics.

He served as the General Secretary of the NPP from 2010 to 2014. He lost his bid to secure a second term to Kwabena Agyei Agyapong.

Credit to Source: theghanareport