Kwesi Botchwey's ?100m Donation Vanishes

The executives of the Ashanti Regional branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are pointing accusing fingers at one another over an alleged ?100 million missing from its secretariat in Kumasi. The money was said to have been donated by one of the aspiring Presidential candidates of the party, Dr Kwesi Botchwey to assist in revitalizing the party structures in the Region.

Sources close to the secretariat however told the Heritage newspaper that the whole amount cannot be traced and all the Regional Executives are denying knowledge of the said donation even though some of them insist that it was “given to a top executive member of the party in Kumasi.”

When the Heritage newspaper contacted Dr Mustapha Ahmed, spokesman for Dr Botchwey, he gave a terse dismissal of the allegation and quickly hanged up the phone.

“He hasn’t donated such an amount to anybody, we haven’t even been to the Ashanti Region yet,” he added. “I am sure it is one of their campaign propaganda being waged against his campaign.”

To the question as to why propaganda war will be waged against Dr Botchwey for donating money to the Ashanti Regional branch of the party, Dr Ahmed refused to answer and switched off his phone.

The paper however says the Ashanti Regional Secretary of the NDC, Sly Akakpovi could not give any categorical denial of the allegation when contacted but only said “I haven’t seen that money.” He however disclosed that Dr Botchwey’s campaign team is angry with the Regional Youth organizer of the party, Yaw Owusu Bimpeh who after receiving ?5 million from the Botchwey camp later declined to cross carpet and rather joined Prof Mills’ team.

The amount was meant to be used to repair a vehicle to facilitate Dr Botchwey’s campaign in the Ashanti Region. However, after receiving the money, Mr Bimpeh was alleged to have engaged himself in a vigorous campaign together with one Ahmed for Prof Mills.