MCE denies NDC youth locking party office

Akyem Oda, Sept. 16, GNA - Ms Ophelia Koomson, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Birim Central, has denied a newspaper publication that aggrieved National Democratic Congress (NDC) members had locked up the Akyem Oda party office.

According to her, one Ms Charity Gerald, a caterer, who claimed the NDC owed her, locked up the place at the weekend, but when her (Ms Koomson) attention was drawn to the situation, she invited Charity for negotiations on the debt and she opened the office last Monday. "It is therefore not true for anyone, who wanted to play mischief to say that aggrieved members of the party had locked up the office". Ms Koomson indicated that Mr Kofi Owusu, who claimed to be a spokesman for the "faceless aggrieved youth", is a known New Patriotic Party (NPP) supporter and she challenged him to name the NDC ward he belongs to.

Throwing more light on the situation at a press conference at Akyem Oda on Tuesday, Ms Koomson said about a month ago, Mr Owusu, who said he represents the family of the late Yaw Frempong, former constituency secretary of the party, approached her to settle a debt of GH¢3,300 incurred on the funeral.

The MCE said she explained to Mr Owusu that she had just assumed office and that she would consult with the party executives to see how best to settle the debt. "After that explanation Mr Owusu left and I later held a meeting with the party executive where it was agreed that we should contribute to pay the debt very soon".

Ms Koomson said last Sunday, Mr Samuel Kyei-Boateng, Regional Page Editor of the Graphic, called at her house and in the presence of her husband, who is a Chief Editor with the Ghana News Agency, told them that Mr Owusu claimed that some aggrieved youth had locked up the office and so he should write a story on it.

According to her, she denied the allegation and explained everything to Mr Kyei-Boateng after which he later left and was therefore surprised to have seen such a publication. On the allegations that she was "flirting" with NPP members and awarding them contracts of the sewing of school uniforms, she challenged Mr Owusu to come out with the facts.

Ms Koomson indicated that the list of the beneficiaries was provided by the NDC Constituency Chairman, Mr Mumuni Gariba, and invited anyone who cares to call at her office to verify.

According to her, just three months in her administration she was able to chalk great successes and as such deserved to be commended instead of the "pull me down" attitude. She advised media houses to use their medium to promote unity and development. 16 Sept. 10