Castle Boys Fight Over Cash

The Boys employed by the Presidency to counter the pressure group, Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG), under the name, Alliance for Responsible Opposition A(FRO) are allegedly fighting among themselves over cash.

AFRO, which was formed barely a month ago by elements of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) with support from the National Security Co-ordinator, Lt. Col. Larry Gbevlo-Lartey (rtd) and other NDC chieftains, is already throwing punches, with a statement dismissing their leader, Benjamin Akyena Brantuo, former Junior Common Room President of the Commonwealth Hall, University of Ghana.

The members met at Paloma Hotel last night to endorse the decision by the AFRO leadership to expel the Castle boy.

Some members of the group have dismissed the Castle boy who prides himself as the convener and chairman of the AFRO because of some cash allegedly released by Gbevlo-Lartey for their recent outreach programme at the Teachers Hall in Accra, where they attacked the opposition.

Akyena stands accused by his colleagues including Lord Koranteng Hammah, AFRO Co-ordinator, and Fortunate Anuga, AFRO Press Secretary, for using the name of the group to solicit funds and using them for his personal gains.AFRO has put a disclaimer on Akyena Brantuo, asking all media houses and the general public to desist from dealing with him in the name of the group.

Apart from that, the group said Akyena had persistently not been able to espouse the core ideals, doctrine, philosophy and sacred principles of AFRO and indeed, your (Akyena’s) appearances on several media stations have been a source of worry to members since your arguments are usually not in consonance with our avowed aims and objectives.”

They made specific reference to what they said was his ‘abysmal performance’ on Adom FM, where he was reported to have addressed listeners as ‘fellow NDC supporters’ at a time he was supposed to be on a platform of AFRO.They also accused the Castle boy of grammatical inexactitudes, inelegance of speech and downright inability to express himself with flawless eloquence which, according to them was steadily blotting the reputation of the group since the flaws “countenance mediocrity.”

AFRO said it had come to its notice that Akyena was making desperate attempts to create the erroneous impression in the public’s eye that AFRO was his personal creation.

They noted that he had variously bestowed on himself titles such as chairman, leader and even founder to the chagrin of the entire membership of the group, stressing that “all these positions are non-existent in our constitution.” The group said Akyena had never contributed financially or intellectually towards the success of any of its programmes, apart from appending his signature to statements issued by AFRO, thereby referring to him as a ‘white elephant’.

The group has appointed Bernard Brock Nii Aku Yartey, a man described as a businessman and a philanthropist, to act in his stead as the convener of AFRO with immediate effect whilst Akyena has been asked to hand over all assets of AFRO at his disposal to the National Secretariat immediately.

Akyena said he would respond to the issue appropriately when he was contacted by Daily Guide on Friday.It is not too clear whether the confusion in AFRO has anything to do with a text message making the rounds in sections of the media, purported to have been sent by a certain James who is suspected to be a deputy Minister.

The said text message, which is branded ‘private and confidential’ states, “Yesterday’s meeting did not go the way Prof wanted us to conduct these meetings, if der is a new face around, we must be notified. Konadu has Jerry’s network dat gathers gud intelligence. I don’t trust some of these hungry CPP guys we are using to form this AFRO pressure group! I am tracing one of them to someone around Konadu and this is dangerous.”

The message continued. “If the primary goal of this group is to scatter Konadu’s ambition as uncle Ato (Ato Ahwoi) wants indicated, we can’t afford any scandalous leaks, the Bempah and Dela boys have the media, and Jerry’s commandos sniffing around for them. We must double check on of the CPP guys we programmed has links with Nduom because NPP will know. See you at castle meeting morrow. Watch your back esp these stupid foot soldiers. James”.

Though Daily Guide has made several attempts to speak to James to ascertain whether or not the text emanated from him, he has continuously failed to answer his phone.