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Politics of Friday, 29 March 2019

Source: mynewsgh.com

Create NPP ‘common fund’ for us – 'Broke' Ashanti NPP constituency chairmen

Chairman Wontumi Chairman Wontumi

Broke Constituency chairmen of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ashanti region say they are being riddled by poverty, though their party is in government, MyNewsGh.com reports.

They say an arrangement by the party for disbursement of some GH¢5000 on a monthly basis for the running of the party has not been forthcoming, making life practically unbearable for them.

In an interview on Kumasi-based Angel FM and monitored by MyNewsGh.com, Chairman for Fomena and spokesperson for the chairmen association, Akwasi Nti Asamoah said, “I sometimes have to buy coffins for the burial of people I’m not related, just to make the party look good, but I swear to God, nobody has given me a penny from the party”.

Some Members of Parliament (MPs) and the MMDCEs who according to him should have been lifelines to the party at grassroots are “so stingy, selfish and inconsiderate that, they don’t care about anything”.

“Sometimes when we go to meetings, we are given some stipends to take care of party work but I can’t tell where it comes; knowing Chairman Wontumi for who he is, it could be from his own pocket”, Chairman Akwasi Nti, popularly known as ” Maafia” said.

The chairmen are therefore pushing for a “common fund” by the party to insist in the day to day expenses of the executives at the constituency level.

They say by virtue of their positions, they have had to assume the responsibilities of “family heads and fathers” because we buy coffins and pay school fees from our own coffers.

The Ashanti region is the lifeblood of the ruling party.

It has not been rosy as there has been many complains from the rank and file, following a barrage of promises at the time the party assumed power.

Last year, some serial callers of the party in the Ashanti region set their mobile phones ablaze to protest for better treatment.

Chairman Akwasi Nti Asamoah said, “I would have contested for the MP in my constituency” but for a directive by the party debarring chairmen from doing so, because “as MP, I would be receiving salary and ex-gratia”