Bribery comments: Probe ex-Ejisu MP just as Juaben MCE-nominee – Group petitions OSP

The Governance Watch Alliance is calling on the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to probe the conduct of former Ejisu MP Kwabena Owusu Aduomi, following recent comments he made on live TV.

In a letter addressed to the OSP and sighted by dailymailgh.com the group, which is the latest to condemn the former lawmaker’s actions also wants the OSP to be guided by the “recent action taken by your office concerning the confirmation of the Municipal Chief Executive for Juaben in which the nominee after his rejection was heard on camera demanding some alleged monies he paid to some assembly members and your office intervened and invited him for investigation…”

“We think this statement made by the former Deputy Minister also has some similarities with that one and hence this petition to inform you about it”, it added.

NPP must crack the whip

“Honestly I am surprised [at the NPP]. I was thinking that they could have cracked the whip. All the political parties have their internal disciplinary actions against people like Aduomi and so I am surprised at the posture of the party because this is a who has man who has declared his intention to contest the Chairmanship post in the Ashanti Region making such comments, I think it is unfortunate,” said Moro Yakubu, the group’s Head of Research in an interview with dailymailgh.com.

What did Aduomi say?

In the interview which has been widely shared online, Mr. Aduomi, who was a former Deputy Roads and Highways Minister under the Akufo-Addo regime admitted to payment of an enticement fee of ₵5,000 to delegates while seeking another term as MP for the area during the parliamentary primaries.

Despite making the huge payment to over 600 delegates, he lost his seat to the strongest opponent, Dr. John Kumah who further retained the seat for the governing New Patriotic Party in the 2020 general election.

John Kumah amassed 397 votes representing 55.99% as against Kwabena Owusu-Aduomi’s 307 votes, which represented 43.30%, while Abena Pokua Amoah-Boaitey had 5 votes representing 0.71%.

Mr. Aduomi who looked unhappy recounting his losses, added that politics is for the brave-hearted.

Dent on chairmanship quest

But these comments have been received with utter disgust by many on social media questioning the rationale behind the revelation.

It is an undeniable fact the NPP leadership in its strongest region-Ashanti Region-has come under strong criticism in recent years with Chairman Wuntumi at the helm of affairs.

The next person to take up the mantle has a lot to show for in the exhibition of strong qualities that will show admirable leadership.

Kwaku Owusu Aduomi has declared interest in the seat.

Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, Chairman Wuntumi and Kwabena Owusu Aduomi are persons whose candidature are very open.

But Mr Aduomi’s leadership qualities have come under fierce scrutiny in an interview where he indicated he cannot defend popular comments made by the then-candidate Nana Akufo-Addo to the effect that the country was sitting on wealth yet its citizens were hungry.

“I am an Engineer and not an Economist”, was his explanation continuing that he did not make those comments so cannot defend them.

SOURCE: DAILY MAIL GH