Three times Ashanti Regional Minister has been ‘careless' in his public utterances

The Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah made several headlines last week after his response to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) serial callers in the region was described by many as in bad taste.

MyNewsGh.com has however taken notice that this is not the first time the former Member of Parliament (MP) for the Bosomtwe constituency is in the news for similar reasons.

We catalog three major incidents for the benefit of our readers since he assumed office 18 months ago;

1. Minister storms church service seizes sound systems and arrest pastor

In November last year, Mr Simon Osei Mensah stormed House of Bethel Ministries at Anwomaso High Tension in Rambo style and demanded an end to the church service. He snatched a microphone from one of the church’s singers and also knocked a musical instrument to the ground.

This action of the Minister, according to an eyewitness infuriated some Junior Pastors of the church which led to a short verbal exchange. The Pastor Pastor; Rev. Kwame Takyi refused to stop the service and he had him arrested.

According to him, he was of the view of disconnecting the church from the national grid.

2. Go and do COCAINE business-Angry Minister to traders

Mr Simon Osei-Mensah, at pre-launching of ‘Keeping Kumasi Clean and Green Project’ in June this year, jabbed recalcitrant traders who have refused to vacate pavements despite eviction notices given them by city authorities.

A frustrated Minister who raised concerns about the indifferent attitude of the traders indicated that they act like goats and should consider venturing into other areas if they were not prepared to pack off the streets.

“Some people behave like goats and they needed to be whipped with canes before they will vacate from selling on the street and several unauthorized places”. He stated

“We forgave you in our previous decongestion but for this time, we will not spare you, ”he said at the event.

"When we tell you to vacate and relocate to satellite markets, you reply by saying the market is not good at such places…..If you think you don’t make good money at the market, go and do COCAINE business, that you would be better-off” He fumed.

3. If I lose my job over your ‘noise’; I won’t eat stone- A/R Minister to angry NPP Serial callers

Mr Simon Osei Mensah has not taken kindly to what he calls ‘internet and radio insults’ from the party’s regional serial callers whom he has accused of being ungrateful, warning them that he was not hungry before NPP came to power, and should he be sacked, he won’t “eat stone”.

According to him, the serial callers are aware of his efforts for them, and that the meagre money meant for them is supported by deductions he makes from his own salary and from salaries of some other appointees to be able to cater for them as serial callers.

In an audio obtained by MyNewsGh.com from Silver FM in Kumasi, the Minister revealed in a hot interview that 200 cedis is made available to each of the over 60 party communicators monthly and he, in particular, had complained it was too inadequate and were in talks to increase it to make them more comfortable.