Massive Bribery Scandal Tearing NDC Apart

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is currently sitting on a damning committee report that indicted some regional executives of the party, for allegedly taking bribe from officials of government, prior to the 2020 general election.

Insiders told The Anchorthat months after the committee had finished its work and submitted its findings, the party hierarchy is yet to take any action on the matter, due to the damning content on the party’s image.

However, there has been disquiet among the grassroots for some time now; they have begun demanding that the report be made public for all to see who and who contributed to the party’s defeat in the 2020 elections.

The committee chaired by a former Regional Minister under erstwhile John Mahama administration, Samuel Sarpong, with former Deputy Chief of Staff, Johnny Osei Kofi as its secretary, was set up by the national executives, after series of allegations against some big-shots of the Ashanti Regional executives, as having been compromised by their opponents in the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).

This paper has gathered, the party is shelving the report to save party image, especially at the time the party is embarking on intensive restructuring exercise and membership drive.

The executives, some of whom allegedly appeared before the Committee, set up earlier this year, were reportedly enticed with huge but undisclosed cash amount, ostensibly to play it soft in the region with the NPP in the 2020 elections.

Names of executives that featured prominently in the barrage of allegations were; the regional chairman Andrews Augustus alias Nana Akwasi as well as Secretary Kwame Zu, who one time incurred the wrath of the Akyem Abuakwa State led by OkyenheneAmoatia Ofori Panyin, for certain comments he was alleged to have made.

The name of the regional director of elections, one Abofrah, was also mentioned as being one of the alleged beneficiaries.

The money was allegedly provided to the accused executives by a former Mayor of Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA).

But months after Mr Samuel Sarpong led Committee completed its work, the powers that be; both at the region and national are refusing to release it.

This is not the first time, issues of this nature have come up in the party.  In the past, the then NDC General Secretary, Josiah Aryee was also accused of taking bribe from the NPP while in opposition after the party lost power in the early 2000s.

The name of the Asawase Member of Parliament (MP) who has received massive support from the region many times, to go unopposed in parliamentary primaries has come up conspicuously as those who are allegedly not comfortable of making the report public.

However, The Anchor is learning that, bit and pieces of the findings, have apparently been leaked to journalists close to the party and some party members.

Even though some are claiming the report did not indict anyone in particular, others have made contrary claims.

According to a source who spoke to this paper on condition of anonymity, the regional chairman, Nana Akwasi who is originally a Krobo but was born in Ejisu in the Ashanti Region, refused to appear before the Committee.

Initially, he was said to have written to the committee saying that he is unable to appear before it because he does not trust it. But sources say, he eventually appeared before the committee.

On the part of Kwame Zu, he appeared before the Committee but not much was adduced to this paper except that his meeting was allegedly recorded.

Another person who also who made to the Committee’s sittings was the regional Women Organizer, Gloria Huzi who, according to this paper’s source, had a lot on her chest and so bared it all.

MrAbofrah also appeared, but not much was disclosed about him except that, The Anchor gathered from host of Accra FM’s Citizens Show, Kwabena Bobie Ansah, on his encounter with him, the radio presenter revealed that the former director of election told him he was asked to go home on the night of the election after collation because his work has come to an end.

“The Ashanti Regional former NDC Director of Elections MrAbofrah. On the 9th of August 2022, confirmed to me that Mr Kwame Zu on the 7th of December 2020, just after the time of collating of figures told him that his mandate as director of election for the party, has expired and that his service is not needed”, Mr. Bobie Ansah posted on his Facebook page.

He had called Bobie Ansah, to clarify the presenter’s claim that he Abofrah, as director of elections for the region, was sacked three days before the general elections.

If this is true, it will go to confirm claim that, at the regional collation centre, there was nobody to sign for the NDC and so it took failed national youth organizer aspirant Ernest BrogyaGenfi, who was in Tepa then, to rush to append his signature in the regional capital Kumasi.

The former host of Asempa FM’s ‘Ekosi Sen’ later quoted chapter 5 of the conclusion of the summary report in paragraph 2, as “The regional chairman (Nana Akwasi) was not aware of the people supposed to represent the party at the EC collating room, creating a situation where at a point NDC had no representative at the EC room”,

The investigation was allegedly triggered by some comments made by a former Regional Security Coordinator, Enoch Amoako Nsiah at a funeral.

He is said to have picked intelligence and complaints from party members and even went to the extent of confronting some of them who confirmed the allegation.

Meanwhile, Nana Akwasi is busily seeking reelection as regional chairman despite the allegation against his administration. Even though sources say, he has been advised against such, he appears poised to seek another election which comes off in October this year.

More To Come…

Source: Anchorghana