Professor Charles Ofosu Marfo has criticized the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for what he described as an ill-timed donation to traders affected by the recent fire outbreak at the Adum Market in Kumasi.
According to him, the gesture, while commendable, lacked proper coordination and ultimately led to public backlash.
Speaking on Oyerepa Breakfast Time with Kwesi Parker Wilson, Prof Marfo stated that while it was important to support victims of such disasters, the approach taken by the NDC was flawed.
He argued that the leadership of the traders should have been consulted beforehand to identify the genuinely affected individuals who needed assistance the most.
“We need to stop this kind of needless donations when we wait until a calamity befalls citizens,” he remarked.
“The NDC should have contacted the leadership of the traders before donating to the affected traders because the leadership would be able to identify those who really need the aid.”
Prof Marfo further suggested that the party could have collaborated with the Ashanti Regional Minister to ensure the aid reached the appropriate recipients, which could include individuals beyond those who lost shops in the fire, such as head porters and other vulnerable persons in the area.
His remarks came in response to an incident on March 26, 2025, when traders affected by the fire jeered at the Minister of Interior, Mohammed Mubarak-Muntaka, as he attempted to distribute relief items. The minister, who is also the Member of Parliament for Asawase, had visited the affected traders with a donation consisting of 1,500 bags of rice, 800 boxes of cooking oil, and soap. However, his efforts were met with resistance and dissatisfaction from some members of the community.
Prof Marfo described Muntaka as a seasoned politician who is well respected across the political divide.
He expressed surprise at the way events unfolded, stating, “It was doing the right thing at a very wrong time, and that’s why the backlash came this way. Muntaka is one of the most sophisticated characters I’ve seen so far, very calm, and he cuts across both political divides. I didn’t expect this to happen to him.”
Source: Oyerepafmonline.com / Joseph Marfo
