NDC Chairman Is "Hot"

The Western Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Nana Alex Asamoah is in trouble. Nana Asamoah was detained on Monday by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service for his alleged involvement in a ?400 million premix fuel deal.

The suspect made himself available to the police in the company of his counsel, Dr Benjamin Kumbuor after the CID mounted a search for him. He was then asked to write his cautioning statement after which he was detained for further interrogation.

The Evening News newspaper says its investigations revealed that the deal took place when Nana Asamoah was the Chairman of the Premix Fuel Committee that had oversight responsibility for the procurement and distribution of the commodity for fishermen in the Jomoro area.

Nana Asamoah is also alleged to have, with the help of some officials at the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) by-passed the laid procedure for the procurement of the fuel and managed to get more than 10 times the total demand of the entire region.

While the whole region was allocated between eight and ten tankers of the oil a month, Nana Asamoah was able to get between 42 and 45 tankers each with average content of 13,500 litres.

The Evening News says Nana Asamoah allegedly smuggled oil through Jewi Wharf to neighbouring Cote d?Ivoire where there was a booming market for it. He also used his position as Chairman of the Premix Fuel and a stalwart of the NDC to bully the fishermen and most of the time was extremely selective in the distribution of fuel.