Bono Regional Minister is a ‘courageous thief’ - Majority Chief Whip

The Majority Chief Whip in Parliament, Kwesi Ameyaw-Cheremeh, has accused the Bono Regional Minister, Evelyn Ama Richardson, of being corrupt.

Mr. Ameyaw Cheremeh who doubles as the governing New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Member of Parliament for Sunyani East premised his accusation ‘on the back of proven documents.’

He said, “Evelyn Ama Richardson in 2018 wrote to the Sunyani Municipality claiming she had been invited by Nanaimo [a city on the East Coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada] to rekindle their deserted relationship [Sister City], which was never true.”

Speaking on Angel FM’s ‘Anopa Bofor’ morning show on Friday, October 2, 2020, the MP alleged that the Minister “…used the money meant for the Nanaimo trip as an excuse to join a convention hosted by Rotary International in Toronto, Canada since she was a member.”

“I don’t mince my words because I was the initiator of the ‘Sister City’ relationship [Nanaimo and Sunyani] and so if I say she is corrupt, then she is corrupt,” he told show host, Captain Smart.

He added "I know for a fact that the Audit Implimenting Committee of the Sunyani Municipal Committee Assembly has written to her to pay, she's adamant. A thief who is very courageous."

According to the Majority Chief Whip, some young men from the Bono Region recently issued a release in which they described Madam Evelyn Ama Richardson as an ‘epitome of corruption’.

“They said the Auditor-General’s report on District Assemblies in the 2018 financial year review proved perfectly well that, the Bono Regional Minister used dubious means to squander the Sunyani Municipal Assembly’s money without refunding it back,” he claimed.

“So if an Auditor-General’s report can cite you for corruption and for using illegal means to take money belonging to the people, is it not corruption,” Kwesi Ameyaw Cheremeh questioned.

Focus on elections

Responding to the allegations by her party’s Chief Whip in Parliament, the Bono Regional Minister, Evelyn Ama Kumi Richardson said, she would respond to the allegations but after December 7, 2020 elections.

She said her focus now is to ensure the governing party retains its Parliamentary seat on December 7.

“We are left with only 57 or 58 days more to the elections [and] I am the Bono Regional Minister and in fact in my region, I have 12 constituencies. Within these 12 constituencies I have 11 seats occupied by the NPP and my focus is to maintain and retain the seats. So I want to consolidate those 11 seats and if God grants us the grace, we’ll do well to acquire the remaining 1 seat to get 12 over 12.

“If there is any other thing we need to discuss, coming 9th December, 2020 you can call me to your studio and I will respond to every allegation leveled against me. But for now allow me to consolidate my seats which includes Sunyani East Constituency, ” she told the host.