NPP Central Regional Chairman in cash for jobs scandal

Just when the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) thought it has managed to suppress bribery allegation against it Northern Regional chairman, fresh allegation has been leveled against Central Regional chairman, for pocketing GH¢100,000, without the knowledge of the party.

In what looks like an athletic competition of some sort by the NPP regional chairmen, Daniel Bugri Naabu, has handed the baton to Robert Kutin, who is being accused by the deputy regional organizer, Mathew Botwe, for taking bribes before recommending party members for appointment in the Akufo-Addo government.

Unlike the Northern Regional chairman’s case, where the Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Otiko Afisa Djaba, claimed Mr. Bugri Naabu, was collecting cows, goats and so on, his counterpart in the Central Region is accused of running the NPP like his private business and allegedly collecting bribes from appointment seekers.

He alleged that, before the 2016 general elections, son of Kasoa-based Mercy Cream company owner, reportedly called Abdullah, donated a whooping hundred thousand Ghana cedis (GH¢100.000) for the campaign, but chairman Kutin pocketed it.

“One guy from Kasoa, son of Mercy Cream owner donated GH¢100.000 for party activities, but he never mentioned it. He blocked me at the time from going to the regional [office] to work”, Mr. Botwe, popularly known as California, blew the cover on Okokroko 96.9 FM.

According to him, chairman Kutin, is not only a dictator, but has managed to block every chance of the executives in the region, and is making all the moneys, just four months into the administration of Nana Akufo-Addo.

California, claims that the regional chairman, has consistently and strategically sidelined members of the executives, leading to his inability to organize a single meeting since the party won power.

“He is autocratic, when he speaks, no one dares. Ask him, if has been able to hold even a meeting since we won the general elections? He is the secretary, chairman, deputy everything.

Speaking in the Twi dialect, he said, both first and second vice chairmen, have not been spared, adding the chairman is very influential when it comes to the selection of party members for appointment and so as a result, he uses that to solicit moneys from those he recommends.

“Our second vice-chairman in the region, he has managed to block his chances to go anywhere for support and everyone knows this.

The first vice-chairman, Joe Donkor, he joined vice president’s entourage when he visited Assin Central, in the course of that tour, he even knocked down two people.

“Kofi Karikari, he prevented him from becoming a deputy minister. Who doesn’t know the work of chairman KK in the region, and after you became chairman, you have prevented him from becoming deputy minister?

As we speak, chairman has blocked him and so he is at home, because of his selfish interest and it’s not clear if he can get even a common board appointment. If you allow for comments from the public you will be shocked the things you will hear,” he said.

He revealed that in cases where appointment-seeking party fateful are unable to pay what he demands immediately, he strikes agreements with them so that after the appointment, they come to pay him the money. According to California, before anybody would have to be appointed, moneys would have to change hands otherwise, the appointment won’t happen.

“In the event that the appointees are unable to offer physical money to him, he would agree with you that when they get the appointment they pay him. If you do this you think some of us would get courage to campaign in 2020”? he said.

He continued that, the activities of the chairman are unknown by the leadership of the party, but they are afraid to talk about it for fear of victimization and also because they hope that some help may be coming their way.

Mr. Botwe, maintained that he could prove his claims against Mr. Kutin, adding he has had to come out because he doesn’t want what ensued in the Northern Region to happen at their backyard and also lose out in the next elections.

“I have no one backing me as regional executive, but I am doing this because I speak my mind and I don’t want the party to lose out in the next election”, he said

He narrated the experience of the Assin South District Chief Executive (DCE) saying “he tried to replace the new DCE, Derick Amboss with his preferred candidate, who was a woman, he even at the night before the announcement of the lists, tried to block him.

But the truth is that, why he seeks to block some and replace them with others is, as a result of corruption and monetary gains.

Meanwhile, Nana Addo, has appointed you as the chairman of Maritime Authority, while your uncle has been appointed, chairman of GETfund.

When the president has done all these for you, he is doing everything to block others. And so the bribery allegation that has been leveled against those in Tamale, his is no different”.

This is because the GHc100.000. I told you donation to the party by Bonsu Ibrahim Bin Adam’s son, he never mentioned it to the party and so it shows he is neck deep in bribery.

He has taken advantage of the fact that, there are people who donates to the party, but do not want to be seen or heard to be doing politics.

He recalled one of his encounters with chairman Kutin, who became chairman in 2013 saying, “I was at Assin South when the election of DCE was going on, he was able to shout at deputy minister, Agyei Baffour, he was sitting next to him.

This might have happened probably because he feels he was the one who ensured his appointment. I suspect that, he does not want some people to be appointed, because probably he can’t get money from them. It is all because of corruption”.

When Mr Botwe was told he would have to substantiate his allegations if the chairman demanded for them, he argued “I am not making allegation, I am coming from within, I am ready to meet him on any platform to give him this facts be it court I am ready to point to him that he is destroying the party in the Central Region, so if the party does not tackle the issue, it will affect our chances.

I am the one speaking, record me and go and play to him and anywhere he wants to meet me, am ready.