A group calling itself Youth Against Corruption (YAC), has condemned an aspiring National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, for indicating he will purchase 275 buses for all the constituency arms of the party ahead of their internal polls scheduled for 7 July.

According to the group, this act by Mr Blay smacks of vote-buying, and, therefore, should be condemned.

Mr Blay revealed on Friday that he intended providing the buses for commercial purposes to raise funds for the NPP.

Mr Blay explained on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme that: “I am supplying buses to all the constituency branches of the NPP. Each constituency will receive a bus from me personally for commercial purposes just to raise money for party activities”.

When asked how he will finance the procurement of the buses, he said: “When you are resourceful, you will be able to do that. You don’t need to do that from your own pockets, no, you can’t do it that way; as a politician, you need to be resourceful and be able to raise funds for activities of such kind.”

YAC, in a statement, however, said: “We have learnt with absolute shock and disgust that an internal party contest like that of electing a party’s national officers could provoke a colossal promise to give 275 STC-type buses by a candidate. Clearly, this state of affairs cannot be allowed to go unquestioned. Particularly in these times of actively trying to fight corrupt practices in Ghana”.

The group said it is “cautioning that the time has come for young people of Ghana to raise the red flag wherever acts of commission and omission become tantamount to sowing seeds of corruption. Ordinarily, in the past when people come out to make such promises in exchange for political power, we applaud them in our ignorance, thinking these ‘benevolent’ gestures are worthy of our gratitude. But do these gestures really emanate from philanthropic hearts? Certainly not! They are all contrived to achieve a pre-determined goal, which is calculated to deceive the people to give their vote and support to a person seeking some form of political office and power?

“Incidentally, times have changed and the foolhardy days of glorified ignorance is gradually giving way to the engagement of analytical prudence and the strength to challenge the status quo. As such, we of the Youth Against Corruption, having critically evaluated the recent promises of Freddy Blay, an NPP candidate vying for the position of national chairman in the up-coming national executive officers elections, do hereby register our grave objection to the aforementioned ‘bus promises’ made by Freddy Blay, acting Chairman of NPP, and issue the following queries:

“How is Freddy Blay going to fund the promised 275 buses? What is the motivation and reason for incurring such huge cost for just a party office position? Is this not an unfair use of wealth and abuse of incumbency to gain advantage in an election contest? Is this not eventually going to lead to corruption and abuse of power? Is the party not going to end up in the pocket of Freddy Blay in the long-run? For after all, he who pays the piper calls the tune.”

The statement added: “At the superficial level, the subject matter may seem harmless; but we the Youth Against Corruption of Ghana (YAC), wish to state, without any apologies whatsoever, that these acts of wanton promises are, indeed, seeds of corruption sown unwittingly in the soil of indifference if allowed to go unchecked. As such, it is for this very reason that we are raising strong objection to this evolving political culture of using money to influence electoral outcomes. And, by so doing, relegating competence, capability and meritorious elevation of hardworking and deserving people to the background. We, therefore, urge all voters in this country to take note of this ‘creepy money politics’ and register their protest in no uncertain terms by rejecting all seekers of public and political office who attempt to buy the office with money. For, in the same measure that they give with one hand, they take back in multiple doses.

“The clarion call, therefore, is for all Ghana to develop a culture of endorsing and rewarding hard work and frowning on the use of money and undeserving short cuts to attain public and political office. The Youth Against Corruption is, therefore, urging all and sundry, particularly the NPP delegates to use this instance involving Freddy Blay as a test case and reject him and his money. God Bless our Homeland Ghana!”