Obiri Boahen hauled before NPP Steering Committee over GHC50 billion claim

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has dragged one of its National Executives before the party's Steering Committee following damning revelations of a leaked audio conversation between the leading member and an activist of the opposition party which went viral on Tuesday; even though the governing party considers the contents as "baseless" and "palpable" falsehoods.

In the leaked audio, Deputy NPP General Secretary, Nana Obiri Boahen, is clearly heard saying the Presidency gifted the party GH¢50 billion in support of the conduct of the party's 2017 National Annual Delegates Conference held at Cape Coast last August.

The governing party, in response, issued a press statement, insisting "no such thing happened and that, the claims are a palpable falsehood".

In what is panning out to be a clear case of subterfuge, the Deputy Scribe was tricked to echo his sentiments and ill feelings about the party in a private chat with an opposition NDC member, popularly known as "Kwaku Skirt".

Nana Obiri Boahen, in that recorded conversation, lamented how unfairly he was being treated as an official of the governing party, while his colleagues are supposedly grabbing and making economic gains from the party’s incumbency.

GHC50 billion allegation

In the leaked audio, Nana Obiri Boahen reveals how he was given a paltry GH¢5,000 as a member of the resolution committee out of the GH¢50 billion that the Presidency gifted the party.

“When we were going to Cape Coast the other time, I was given GH¢3,000 as a member of the Resolution Committee and an additional GH¢2,000 for fuel. Meanwhile, the Flagstaff House gave the party an amount of GH¢50 billion”, he alleged.

No Office, Car & Monthly Salary?

He also bemoaned how he is being ill-treated by the party despite his selfless service since 1992.

“Till date I don’t even have an office at the party’s headquarters. To be frank, i have been using my own private car, and the party has not given me any official car for my use as Deputy General Secretary. I buy my own fuel. And even on official trips abroad, I’ll be left to my fate.

When I recently went to Germany, it was an NPP Member who bought ticket for me. I went to Spain, Dortmund it was an individual that processed my trip. I do virtually everything, and I don’t remember the last time I received a monthly salary from the party.

I’m only watching them; what is happening now is called “grabbing grabbing” that is what they are doing. I have not even been contacted by any Minister for any contract or whatsoever. I have been handling late J.B Danquah Adu’s case from day one, and I have been using my own resources for court, and even give tips for Journalists. Nobody cares about that case.

I have been following up the case and I can tell you i have an impending trip abroad and I even had to rescheduled my flight to make it to court on 21st, March in J.B’s case. I’ll have to pay the penalty for rescheduling that flight, and I’ll have to bear that cost alone.”

Interestingly, the outspoken NPP deputy General Secretary, who has confessed to being the one whose voice was heard in the leaked tape, admitted to making those statements. He, however, claims he deliberately ‘manufactured some lies’ to get information from "Kweku Skirt", the known NDC activist he had the conversation with.

Hours after the audio went viral, Acting General Secretary of the NPP, John Boadu, in a press statement issued late Tuesday, pooh-poohed the report saying "Nana Obiri Boahen himself" has "admitted to the falsity of his baseless allegation".

"Nonetheless", he said, the NPP has "tasked the Steering Committee" to get to the bottom of the issue.

"Nana Obiri Boahen himself has subsequently admitted to the falsity of his baseless allegation. Nonetheless, the party takes serious view of his unfortunate comments and has accordingly tasked the Steering Committee to immediately look into the matter and make appropriate recommendations," the statement added.

Read below the full statement.

NPP RESPONDS TO LEAKED OBIRI BOAHEN'S TAPE

The attention of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has been drawn to a secret recording making rounds on social media involving the deputy general secretary of the party, Nana Obiri Boahen, in which he alleged that the Flagstaff House advanced an amount of “GHC 50 billion” to the NPP in support of the conduct of the party's 2017 National Annual Delegates Conference held at Cape Coast.

The party wishes to place on record that, no such thing happened and that, the claims are a palpable falsehood.

Indeed, Nana Obiri Boahen himself has subsequently admitted to the falsity of his baseless allegation.

Nonetheless, the party takes serious view of his unfortunate comments and has accordingly tasked the Steering Committee to immediately look into the matter and make appropriate recommendations.

Finally, we wish to assure our members and the Ghanaian people that, the NPP is scrupulously minded of the line that exists between government and the party and would uphold the distinction at all times.

Thank you.

...Signed...

JOHN BOADU

General Secretary (Ag)