Madam Mary Awusi is the current CEO of the Ghana Free Zones Board, a reputable entity overseeing the creation of economic enclaves for production and manufacturing with both local and international scope.

Prior to this, she served as an appointed executive officer of the party at the national headquarters, a position she still holds. She is known for her calm reflections on issues and respect for others. She is a married woman with a family and is known for her Christian values and is well-educated.

She is not known for any conduct that undermines others or for unmeasured public conduct or speaking. She leads an institution that receives people from all walks of life, and there haven't been any misgivings expressed about her delivery.

As human beings and political elements, we are sometimes capable of overrunning boundaries and limitations when engaged in public speaking, and recent expressions by Mary are one such typical situation. I have deduced that at the time the journalist posed the question to her, she hadn't gotten the benefit of doubt to listen to the humble and respected man of God, Apostle Nyamekye, and responded in anger towards a question, not a video.( We may want to listen to what question the journalist asked her and her reaction from the original video).

As honest as she can be, after the events, she has apologized to the respected Apostle and the Pentecostal society in general. She also retracted her words; her action for me is biblical and resonates with the doctrine of a sinner who has repented and pleaded for forgiveness.

The government of President Mahama and the leadership of the NDC, through its rank and file, is not known to have a record of attacking men and women of God. We are multi-faith based and respect each religious sect as well as their beliefs. We have held mutual respect and harmony with all stakeholders of our society.

As party members, we are not trained to insult, undermine, or hold any man of God in contempt. We do not have any feelings of reproach against any human being except corrupt people, and we do not discriminate based on ethnicity, social standing, or religion, exemplified by the trajectory of our policies.

The NDC is the first political party in Ghana to have made adequate provisions for disability in our internal arrangements through the creation of a disability desk at the national headquarters and even in our election guidelines. This is the record of the NDC.

The fight against illegal mining is a major concern for all Ghanaians, a menace that requires social and community consciousness and inclusivity. The church is a major stakeholder as far as this fight is concerned, just like how all of Ghana came together to liberate the country from the NPP and Nana Addo's ills. Illegal mining is another cancer that deserves national resolve.

Under President Mahama, so far, we have been able to minimize the impact on forests and river bodies. The current Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Armah Kofi Buah, should be commended for these remarkable steps. The ministry is currently exploring ways of transitioning small-scale illegal mining into regulated regimes with minimized negative impact on our society.

I am aware that moves are being made to source funding towards reclamation and restoration of destroyed lands, forests, and water bodies widely caused, supervised, and with the tacit involvement of the former President Akufo-Addo and his appointees, including notable members of the NPP. It is worth mentioning the efforts of NAIMOS.

I saw members of the opposition sharing and widely publicizing what Dr. Mary Awusi said; her comments were wrong, she apologized and cleared the air, a sign of responsibility, maturity, and good training. I still remember the coordinated media and political attacks organized from within the Nana Addo-led administration with the backing of the NPP, using Hon. Kennedy Agyapong as a lead force, to perpetuate character assassination against some men of God in this country who they believed did not support their course.

I can remember recently the unwarranted attacks organised covertly from within the camp of Dr Bawumia after their defeat in the 2024 general elections, scoring them 38%, led by their Bono Regional Chairman of the NPP, Kwame Baffour (AKA Abronye, an adopted child into the Obiri Boahene family), against His Eminence Archbishop Nicholas Duncan Williams and the Charismatic Church.

They accused the respected Bishop of mobilising the body of Christ against a non-committed Muslim becoming a president. There were recent attacks by the NPP on Archbishop Charles Agyinasare and his church for preaching against corruption, and the very recent and ongoing attacks organised through social media by the NPP against Rev. Lawrence Tetteh and others. This is the record of the NPP.

Facts are sacrosanct, and these sets of facts as presented speak for themselves. It is either the discussion ends or it continues, but the facts must be placed in context.

I am a tongue-speaking Christian - politician, filled with the Holy Ghost, working for a President who is a church worker and a dedicated Christian. I lead a major unit of a political party. We stand with the Christian dome and all persons with Christ-like values, including all religious faiths, in national discourse.

Mustapha Gbande, Deputy General Secretary of the NDC.

Shalom!