Minister Faces Death Threat

Accra (The Independent) -- "Credible" information reaching The Independent speak of attempts by some supporters and activists of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to assassinate the sitting Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, who doubles as the Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning.

Investigations have revealed that some personalities have in the past three weeks been attending secret meetings in Kumasi to ostensibly plot the assassination of Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei.

“Our investigations also established that, the game plan is still at the preparatory stages, but The Independent can reveal that, as part of their strategy the plotters have recruited some security personnel as assassins to give their game plan a professional touch.”

The paper says those involved in the diabolical scheme have been holding the secret meetings at different venues so as to avoid being uncovered, and one such venue includes a prime hotel in Kumasi.

The Independent also failed to establish the motive behind the assassination plot but said its sources in the Old Tafo Constituency hinted that "The motive is political, and that some people believe Dr. Akoto Osei has blocked their political fortunes, and that the way out of that situation is to eliminate him, period."

Dr. Akoto Osei confirmed the story when contacted. "I have been hinted about the assassination plot on my life," he said adding, "I have been informed that some people have been meeting in Kumasi and plotting to eliminate me." The paper also quotes him as saying he has also heard that the meetings were held within the last three weeks.

Asked whether he believes what he was told, he said, “Previously I heard it in the form of a rumour but now I have been told straight to my face that there is such a plot against me by my party people.”

Asked whether he thinks the information is credible, he told The Independent "Even if you think that it is not true you still have to take precautionary measures” and cited what happened to the Deputy Managing Director of Ghana Commercial Bank, Rokko Frimpong as an instance saying, “I have taken a cue from what happened to him and have advised myself accordingly.

Dr. Akoto Osei told the paper that he would inform the police about the threat of assassination to his life in order not to be overtaken by events. He expressed shock that security personnel in the Ashanti Region could be recruited for such a diabolic plot without them seeing anything wrong with it.

In an interview to cross-check if he had heard of the assassination attempt, the Old Tafo Constituency Chairman of the NPP, Moses Donkor, said, “Yes, I have been told but that move to kill a whole MP and Deputy Minister is indeed unfortunate.”

He told The Independent that he was informed by Dr. Akoto Osei on Sunday about the plot to eliminate him (Dr. Akoto), and that he has immediately put in place contingency measures to ascertain the veracity of the information, and to move to arrest the situation, and to establish the identities of those behind the plot.

To the Old Tafo Constituency Chairman, “That move to eliminate Dr. Akoto Osei will not help,” he said and added, "I have put in place a strategy to find out the accomplices and to see how best to deal with them.”

“God will not allow that to happen," he said and added, "because Dr. Akoto Osei has not done anything wrong. He has been of great help to all of us and the constituency. If you cannot beat your opponent you should not plot to kill him, but rather join him."