Report on Corruption in Abuakwa South Constituency NPP Flayed

Koforidua, Oct, 22, GNA - Some Executive Members of the Abuakwa South Constituency of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have condemned the recommendations made by the Eastern Regional Disciplinary Committee (ERDC) of the Party on the vote of no confidence passed in the Constituency Chairman and two others.

In a letter in reaction to the Report of the Committee addressed to the Eastern Regional Chairman of NPP, copies of which were made available to the media on Thursday, the group accused the ERDC and the Regional Executives of the Party of covering up the misdeeds of the Constituency Chairman, Mr Kwasi Okyere and two others.

The two others were the Constituency Secretary, Mr Yaw Bampong Koranteng and the Constituency Women's Organiser, Miss Awo Ntiamoa. The letter was signed by the First Vice-Chairman, Mr Abu Bonsrah; Treasurer, Miss Georgina Anim; Youth Organiser, Nana Owusu and Assistant Secretary, Ms Emma Obeng, all of the Abuakwa South Constituency. They expressed their dissatisfaction to the fact that, despite the evidence they provided at the Committee's sitting to prove that the Constituency Chairman Mr Okyere collected 37.5 million cedis from the Member of Parliament's share of the District Assemblies' Common Fund (DACF) to supply some items to some communities, which he did not supply, the Committee did not see the need to reprimand or remove him from office.

The Group maintained that in certain instances the items were supplied six months after the cheques were collected and members of the Party had expressed their dissatisfaction. The Group alleged that in some cases the items were never supplied at all.

The Group said the Constituency Secretary, Mr Koranteng could not account for Party dues and amounts he collected for the supply of Party cards during his tenure of office.

It also alleged that, a case was made before the Committee that the Women Organizer could not account for 2.5 million cedis she collected for the sale of raffle tickets to raise funds for the Party.

The Group alleged that, in spite of all the cases it raised and proved before the Committee, the Committee failed to recommend any form of punishment for the affected Officials and the Regional Executive of the Party had also failed to state its position on the recommendations of the Committee, more than a month after it received the report. The Group said it was of the view that, if the issues they raised were not seriously considered it could affect the efforts of the Party in the Constituency.

"The danger of anybody using his powers or clout in the Party to stand in the way of the majority, could spell the doom of the Party in the Constituency and for that matter the presidential ambitions of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo=94; they observed.

"We are not rebels. We only want to ensure compliance with the Party's principle of 91zero tolerance for corruption' they concluded. When the GNA contacted the Eastern Regional Secretary of the Party, Mr S. Agbogo he explained that, the Regional Executive had not been able to express their opinion on the recommendations submitted by the Disciplinary Committee because every time that the Executive met to discuss the issue, new developments occurred which needed to be considered.

He also explained that, the Regional Executive also wanted to meet the MP for the constituency for some consultation before coming out publicly on the issue but that had not been possible because of the frequent travels of Nana Akufo-Addo, who is also the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and NEPAD.

Earlier this year, six Executive Members of the Abuakwa South Constituency of the NPP led by the First Vice-Chairman, Mr Abu Bonsrah passed a vote of no confidence in the three Executive Members and in April the Regional Executive referred the issue to the Regional Disciplinary Committee.

The Committee was chaired by Mr Kwesi Amoako-Atta with Mr Kwabena Agyarku Kyeremanteng; Madam Florence Adu-Amankwa; Ms Edna Fordjour and Mr Kwabena Bimpong as members. It submitted its findings and recommendations to the Regional Executives in September this year.