Politics of Monday, 16 January 2023

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Why I refused to be appointed deputy Interior Minister by Kufuor – Kennedy Agyapong

NPP flagbearer hopeful, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong play videoNPP flagbearer hopeful, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong

New Patriotic Party flagbearer hopeful, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong has shared a story of how he refused an opportunity to be a deputy minister during the administration of President John Agyekum Kufuor.

According to Kennedy Agyapong, President Kufuor offered him the chance to be a deputy minister for interior but he passed the opportunity on to his boss in politics - Kwadwo Afram Asiedu.

"President Kufuor called me that he wants to make me a deputy minister for interior. I said thank you, I don’t want a position but my boss who brought me into the party is lawyer Kwadwo Afram Asiedu so he should be given the post. And he (President Kufuor) said Kwadwo with everything he has done for the party, is bigger than the position so I should go and discuss with him if he will accept it,” he said.

Kennedy Agyapong who was speaking on Net2 TV’s National Agenda programme said one of the reasons that compelled him to pass on the position was his frosty relationship with the police administration at the time.

He however expressed gratitude to President Kufuor for what he described as an honour he gave to his boss in politics.

"So I came and informed my boss that President Kufuor wants to make me a deputy minister for interior but even at that time, I had had a dispute with my brother Ben Ephson and the police, so I said I didn’t want it. I went and informed my boss, so he became a deputy minister of interior and subsequently became the eastern regional minister. I am grateful to President Kufuor for the honour he gave my boss who brought me into the NPP,” the Assin Central MP said.

Kennedy Agyapong during the discussion on Net2 TV responded to Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, who in a recent interview with Joynews, questioned his competence and devotion as a prospective flagbearer of the NPP.

According to Kennedy Agyapong who is regarded as a financier of the NPP, he has a track record assisting the party in various moments of financial need.

This is corroborated by the former Deputy General Secretary of the NPP, Nana Obiri Boahen.

Obiri Boahen in an interview with Wontumi radio while calling out Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe said “I said what! What is Nyaho Tamakloe trying to say? In 2016 alone, Kennedy Agypong and Kutin bought almost a hundred pickups. He paid a debt of $3 million for the NPP and that was even in the 90s," Obiri Boahen said.

“Tell me which of the 275 constituencies in Ghana have not felt the impact of Kennedy Agyapong? I am with Bawumia, I am campaigning for Bawumia but it doesn’t mean I should sit aloof if someone says something about Bawumia’s competitor and I have details about it,” he added.



GA/WA