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The Ashanti Regional Youth Organizer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Raphael Sarfo Patrick, has launched a vitriolic attack on two persons linked to the regional party chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako aka Chairman Wontumi for orchestrating a fake letter inviting the Manhyia South Constituency chairman, Richard Adjei Mensah Ofori Atta popularly known as ‘Tom Tom’ to answer allegations of misconduct before the regional disciplinary committee of the party.
Raphael Sarfo Patrick, popularly known as ‘Ralph’, described the two persons – Andy Owusu, a special aide to Chairman Wontumi and Paul Yandoh, the regional communications director- as “wicked and dangerous” who are doing a lot of bad things the blind side of Chairman Wontumi.
Speaking on Kumasi-based Sompa FM/TV in Kumasi on Saturday, March 16, 2024, Ralph said he first saw the statement of invitation on the official WhatsApp group platform of the regional functional executive committee, adding, “I even thought it was a fake news until a colleague confirmed it.”
PARTY CONSTITUTION
Referring to the NPP constitution, Ralph said it clearly defines how to handle disciplinary issues.
“Article 9 of the constitution mentions the Regional Executive Committee to include the 17 regional functional executives, constituency chairpersons Constituency Chairpersons, parliamentary candidates in the region, MMDCEs in the region among others . As a member of the regional executives, I am not aware of any disciplinary proceedings against the Manhyia South Constituency chairman,” he stated.
LAW
While stating that he has no problem with a party member being taken through the disciplinary process, he however, added: “that should be done in line with the laws of the party.”
“What is even more surprising is that the letter inviting Tom Tom indicated that the National Executive Committee met to take that decision. When I saw the statement on our platform I called most of the 17 functional executives of the region to establish the authenticity of the letter but all of them denied knowledge of the letter,” the youth organizer stated.
NO MEETING, NO DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE
Ralph stated categorically that it is not true that the regional executive committee has invited Tom Tom for disciplinary reasons.
“If he has done anything wrong, let’s use the lawful channel to invite him. The last meeting we held, this issue never came up for discussion.”
“I’ve seen the issues the Manhyia South chairman has raised in response to the allegations Paul Yandoh and his boss Andy have leveled against him and he has raised the point that we don’t have a disciplinary committee. I want to state that I’m not aware of any existing disciplinary committee in the region. They should tell us who the members of the disciplinary committee are.”
WONTUMI UNAWARE
Ralph said he is tempted to believe that the regional chairman is not aware of the letter.
“The regional chairman that I know, may not be aware of this letter. I insist Bernard Antwi Boasiako, the liberal politician that I know may not be aware of this letter because if he was aware, all the other functional executives would also be aware. My regional chairman is a hardworking person who loves the NPP but he is surrounded by wicked, dangerous people who don’t love the party, but only after their interests.”
He added: “ Adom Appiah, the regional secretary whose signature appeared on the letter may equally not be aware of the letter that is why he refused to speak to you publicly when you called him to speak to the letter”, Ralph told the host.
Asked who then actually wrote the letter, Ralph said, “This is the problem we have in the region. I don’t want to doubt that it originated from Wontumi’s aide, Andy. He is a very dangerous and wicked guy. Paul Yandoh was a cleaner at Andy’s pharmacy shop. We are sick and tired of what is happening in this region.”
Ralph further stated that the man who wrote the petition Paul Yandoh, describing himself as regional communications director is problematic, adding, “That title is under contention. “
PROBLEM
According to the regional youth organizer, the problem with the NPP in the Ashanti Region is that “we have someone called Andy Owusu who is doing many wrong things in the name of the regional chairman but he ( Wontumi) cannot talk about it. Many people are not happy about our chairman because of Andy.”
He added: “ You cannot run a political party like the NPP in its stronghold from a pharmacy shop. You cannot insult the intelligence of the big people in the NPP in the region .”
Firing more salvos, Ralph said, “Sometimes, Andy can do something using the regional chairman’s name and at the end of the day, it becomes very difficult to deny it . There have been several instances Andy has taken decisions without informing the chairman, issued them to the public and the chairman could not deny it , and had to accept them.”
MEETING VENUE
Ralph further raised concern about the attempt to link the chief of Agric Nzema, Nana Nkansah Boadu to active party politics.
He said it was distasteful for the so-called invitation letter to indicate that the residence of the chief had been selected as the meeting place to hear the petition against Tom Tom.
“Nana Nkansah Boadu is a very respected chief in the region who loves the NPP with all his heart. The foundation of the party is at the Manhyia Palace but Nananom do not engage in active politics even though they follow the progress of the party. Going by what happened at Manhyia South involving Kokosohene and Chairman Wontumi and the ruling the Kumasi Traditional Council chaired by the Bantamahene gave on behalf of the Asantehene, Nananom cannot do active politics so I’m surprised that the invitation letter to Tom Tom mentioned the residence of the chief as venue for the meeting. This is an affront to our cherished chieftaincy institution,” he said.
