National Democratic Congress’ National Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, has described as hypocritical, the defense of “nepotism” in the Akufo-Addo government.

“The double standards and hypocrisy is just too much”, he lamented on Newsfile on Saturday in reaction to criticisms of a presentation he made listing names of persons he says are family and friends in the Akufo-Addo administration.

Sammy Gyamfi was criticised by veteran journalist Kweku Baako Jnr for engaging in “propaganda masturbation.”

A panellist on Newsfile Saturday, Baako suggested the list of 51 names, even if it is to be believed, constitutes a negligible percentage of the total number of person employed in government.

Baako stressed that the focus should be on whether the persons appointed were qualified. 

It is a view shared by Vice-President of policy think-tank, Kofi Bentil, who also condemned the work done by the NDC as “too base” and “not even valuable propaganda.”

He said nepotism is “one of the most amorphous concepts in the world” and concluded that “no objective check will show the President Nana Addo is nepotistic. Absolutely none.”

Kofi Bentil argued that the focus on the appointees should be "whether the person is qualified for the job, delivering on the work and has not used the position for personal gain."

Legal practitioner Gary Nimako argued that the NDC’s view is “weird”.

He also challenged the credibility of the list presented by the NDC, pointing out that the mother of Nana Bediatuo, the Executive Secretary to the President does not work in the government.

He also stressed on competence in making appointments and added that playing a role while the party is in opposition is also important in dishing out positions.

But hitting back, Sammy Gyamfi said, “the problem we have in this country is the hypocrisy in our commentary on national issues.”

The NDC National Communication Officer said the three panellists must have heard Nana Akufo-Addo clearly when he pledged in January 2016 that if elected, he would not run a family and friends government.

“Nobody has been able to deny that promise,” he said.

“When President Akufo-Addo made that promise was he engaged in propaganda masturbation like Mr Baako suggests?” he said.

“Was he expecting President Mahama to appoint his enemies into an office like they are arguing around this table?

“Was that symptomatic of defective legal thinking like Gary is suggesting?” he pointed to legal practitioner Gary Nimako who also argued on the show that contributions to a party 

“Was he engaged in an amorphous useless exercise?” he pointed at Kofi Bentil.

“Let us be principled. Let us be consistent. They were in this country when the president made that promise. We didn’t hear them say the things that they were saying.”