NPP’s Tamale Central withdrawal ‘greatest tribute’ to late Murtala Mohammed – Brako-Powers

Private legal practitioner, Austin Kwabena Brako-Powers, has described the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) decision to withdraw from the Tamale Central by-election as the “greatest tribute” to the late Member of Parliament for the constituency, Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed.

Speaking on TV3’s New Day on Tuesday, August 12, Brako-Powers said the NPP’s decision demonstrated emotional intelligence in politics and a deep sense of respect for the late minister’s memory.

“If you ask me, I’ll tell you that this is the greatest tribute in honour of Murtala Mohammed than anything that I’ve heard or read,” he said.

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He emphasised that politics should not always be about competition, especially during moments of national grief.

“Politics has to be conscious. Sometimes you read the room. That’s why psychologists talk about emotional intelligence, and I think the NPP has exhibited that strongly,” he added.

Brako-Powers urged political leaders to consider the moral weight of their decisions, noting, “At a point, let us demonstrate that politics must first be of our conscience.”

He also stressed that the incident should serve as a “inflection point” for Ghana to tackle the menace of illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, with greater urgency.

NPP withdraws from Tamale Central by-election

“The death of the eight should be an inflexion point for us, and it should be a wakeup call for us to jolt us out of our slumber and tackle galamsey head on,” he added.

According to him, the fight against galamsey has been hindered by the heavy financial resources, influence, and political connections of those involved, making it difficult for successive governments to address the issue effectively.

While the Electoral Commission is yet to announce a date for the by-election, Brako-Powers believes the NPP’s withdrawal sends a powerful message about the value of empathy in political decision-making.

AS/VPO

Meanwhile, watch the trailer to GhanaWeb’s yet-to-air documentary on teenage girls and how fish is stealing their futures below: