Commotion Over Wontumi Cash

CONFUSION HAS hit the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at Asokwa Constituency in Kumasi, which has the potential of disintegrating the ruling political party, if unchecked.

It is alleged that monies distributed to the party executives by the Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako aka ‘Wontumi’ has caused the troubles.

Wontumi, who is seeking re-election as the Ashanti Regional NPP chairman, reportedly, gave GHC 500 each to all the party’s executives at Asokwa, some few days ago.

Initial reports indicated he distributed the monies, ostensibly, to help the Asokwa executives, who were recently elected into office, to defray the huge cost of their campaign.

But Wontumi’s intention of distributing the money had rather sparked troubles and deep cracks in the ruling political party at Asokwa, which hitherto was very peaceful.

Confusion

Interestingly, the Asokwa Chairman of the NPP, Rev. Benjamin Fosu Nkrumah, has stated that the executives received Wontumi’s cash, with an initial promise, to declare their support for him.

“We all agreed that we shall vote for Wontumi during the upcoming NPP Ashanti regional elections and so the monies were distributed to the Asokwa executives, who were all looking happy.

“This is why I have openly declared that the entire executives of the party at Asokwa, which I am the chairman, have declared our support for Chairman Wontumi”, he said.

Interestingly, Rev. Nkrumah, who is a man of God, reportedly, also gave his blessings to Mr. Asare Bediako, when he also met and interacted with the Asokwa executive of the party.

Speaking on Nhyira FM in Kumasi, Rev. Nkrumah stated that he only gave his blessings to Asare Bediako but he fully supports Wontumi, to retain his seat as NPP chairman.

He indicated further that so far as he was concerned, the entire Asokwa executives of the party also support Wontumi, who has done a lot for the party in recent years.

However, Messrs Frank Bosompmen Danso and Papa Yaw Asare Bediako, the Asokwa Constituency NPP Youth Organizer and Secretary, respectively, have debunked the chairman’s claim.

According to them, Wontumi only gave the party executives GHC 500 each to defray their campaign cost, adding that they did not receive the money to sell their conscience.

They stated that so far as they were concerned, the Asokwa executives of the NPP have not declared their support for any of the candidates for the Ashanti Regional NPP chairmanship position.

The two gentlemen therefore said they were surprised about the weird behaviour of Rev. Nkrumah, who is publicly lying that the entire executives have declared their support for Wontumi.

They stated that the NPP is a political party, which is noted for believing and practicing true democracy so they are surprised some people want to introduce ‘moneycracy, into the party now.

By: Afia Sarpong Amankwa/ thePublisher