I haven’t asked anyone to go and sell cocaine – Ashanti Regional Minister

Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah has voiced his displeasure with reports misrepresenting a statement he made during the Kumasi Metropolitan ‘Clean and Green Campaign’ pre-launch at Adum on Wednesday.

According to the minister, the news items claiming he asked traders in the Kumasi metropolis to vacate the pavements along the Suame roundabout and consider selling cocaine if the economy is to hard for them were the concoctions of some mischievous persons.

He described the stories as ‘unsubstantiated and irresponsible’.

In a press statement, Mr Osei-Mensah noted that “I, therefore, want to state categorically that I haven't said these things I'm deliberately accused of. And for the avoidance of doubt and clarity purposes, whoever is interested to know what I said should/may consult some of the radio and TV stations that were at the event grounds to establish what I actually said on that day”.

The minister is reported to have asked traders in the Kumasi metropolis to consider the option of selling cocaine and other narcotic substances to enhance their economic wellbeing if they think the economy is hard when he addressed a crowd largely consisting of traders during a sanitation event organised by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly.

Simon Osei-Mensah has however stressed that no circumstance will make him “equate human being to animals, or ask anyone to go and sell cocaine”.

Find his full press statement below

PRESS RELEASE

The attention of the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah, has been drawn to some reports circulating on social media with misleading headlines like; "Some People are like Goats" and "Go Sell Cocaine", which are purported to have been said by me during the KMA "Clean and Green Campaign Pre-launch" at Adum, Kumasi on 6th June 2018.

First of all, these wild, unsubstantiated and irresponsible stories are not just misleading but pure concoction of somebody who wants to do mischief for benefits known to him/her.

To me, these reports and those behind it have a grand agenda to court enmity between my good self and traders.

Infact, as a Regional Minister, I owe it a great duty to respect the people that I have been put in charge to serve, and under no reason will I spew words that will denigrate them or their profession.

I, therefore, want to state categorically that I haven't said these things I'm deliberately accused of. And for the avoidance of doubt and clarity purposes, whoever is interested to know what I said should/may consult some of the radio and TV stations that were at the event grounds to establish what I actually said on that day.

It's unfortunate people can prepare such concoction of falsehood against others just in the name of politics. I am assuring those making all efforts to tarnish my hard-won reputation that with God on my side they will never succeed.

I also want to take this opportunity to assure all in the region, that I will continue to serve them in the best capacity and we will work to ensure that the Clean and Green society that we all wish for becomes a reality.

To end, let me again state that under no influence will I equate human being to animals, or ask anyone to go and sell cocaine.

Let me also assure that I remain focused and resolute in executing all interventions necessary for the forward march of the good people of Asanteman and Ghana, and I dare say such trivial and barbaric agenda can't sway my focus.

Thank you.

...Signed...

The Ashanti Regional Minister

(Simon Osei-Mensah)