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Re: COCOBOD CEO under fire from Amenfi East NPP youth.

Joseph Boahen Aidoo1 COCOBOD CEO, Joseph Boahen Aidoo

Mon, 5 Feb 2018 Source: Ezekiel Agyensem Korankye

We, Patriots of Amenfi East read with shock and regret a piece written by a non-existent group by name "Concerned Youth of NPP in AMENFI EAST” titled "COCOBOD CEO UNDER FIRE FROM AMENFI EAST NPP YOUTH" on February 4 which was earlier carried by the Palava newspaper and later on mynewsgh.com and ghanaweb.com. Although we were surprised at the tone and intent of the piece, we think our worst fears have been confirmed about the possibility of trying to destroy the hard earned reputation of Hon. J.B Aidoo.

When we first read the piece, we thought of advising the editors of ghanaweb.com and mynewsgh.com of not allowing people to use their medium to champion their political and ethnic agenda, but we quickly realized we are in a new world of press freedom - where people can make any statements, comments and arguments, however, invalid and tenuous they are. One thing the good people of Wassa and Western Region should bear in mind is that, we have a divine responsibility to protect and defend our very own to the admiration of the nation and the world because the office occupied by our very own is pivotal in our country's developmental agenda.

Ever since Hon. J.B Aidoo was appointed to serve in H.E Nana Addo's government, there have been many attempts by unknown faces to always drag his name into the mud which have not been fruitful. We are wondering how concerned is this faceless group because the NPP Party is in an electioneering period, busily electing new crop of leaders to keep the party in power for 2020 and beyond so why not making constructive criticisms or inputs into the election processes to help the party elect competent leaders for the good of the party? We find this attempt very barbaric and primitive and an attempt to distract the focus of the party at this destiny defining moment.

Wassa Amenfi East attained a District status in August, 2004 so the argument of Hon J.B Aidoo withdrawing money from the Assembly's account in 2001 is absolutely baseless. Hon J. B. Aidoo worked hard for Amenfi East to get its own District. This was because we were under Asankragwa and development was slowing down as the decentralizing process was slow with little resources to be shared amongst all. H.E J.A. Kuffour honored us by granting us the request for District which Hon J.B. Aidoo put in. Very normal with every fresh District, the new Amenfi East District lacked lot of facilities for the District to take off which included the accommodation for the DCE.

A committee was setup to find a suitable accommodation for the DCE. The committee was chaired by the then Paramount Chief, Kasapreko Kwame Bassanyin III. Most people in the constituency were zealous because development was going to be accelerated. The committee upon searching all over did not get a suitable place for the DCE since facilities in the constituency were not as good as now. Nana Ntori Bonkyi Akomea who was then Chief for Amuni had built a new 5 bedroom house and out of enthusiasm and zealousness for the new District, decided to offer his house to the District for free.

During the period, Hon J.B. Aidoo travelled to the U.S, only to return to hear that the committee and DCE has gone to see his deputy (Deputy Western Regional Minister), Hon Sophia Hornam Sam who is currently the ambassador to Netherlands to sign off Nana Ntori Bonkyi's house to the District as their first Residence and office.

With this, the District begun it’s work, and under the guidance of Hon J.B. Aidoo, who was then the Western Regional Minister, they put up an ultra-modern District structures in less than 3years to house the DCE and other officers and administrative block. The DCE occupied the said apartment until she moved into the new apartment of which NO RENT was paid but when they were moving out, all appliances, fittings, bath wares, etc were removed and completely stripped the house naked. Nana Ntori Bonkyi was advised to seek legal redress for renovation but he refused and renovated his house all by himself. We are wondering who in this our time will be that benevolent to give out his newly built house for government use for free?

Similar allegations were made in 2013 after Hon J.B Aidoo lost his seat as MP for Amenfi East of which all parties involving in this issue were invited and cleared by EOCO during the Mahama-Amissah-Arthur led government and we do not see what these faceless so called concerned youth want to achieve. It is at this very moment that we expect our people to jealously guard and defend the glory bestowed on us by an illustrious son of Wassa land and show massive appreciation to the President, H.E Nana Addo for granting us this honour. Hon J.B. Aidoo remains committed to the course of Wassa, the NPP Party and Ghana as a whole.

Hon J.B. Aidoo prior to election 2016, adopted the three Amenfi Constituencies, Amenfi East, West and Central and brought life into the NPP Party in the Western Region. He toured the length and breadth of the region, mediating numerous factions in the region for a united party which yielded very good results in the election. A perfect reflection is the number of seats and votes won in the region. He is a real party man and will never do anything to destroy the peace and serenity we are enjoying as a party in the Constituency and region as a whole

We would take this opportunity to throw a challenge to the faceless group "Concerned Youth of NPP of Amenfi East" to come out in persons to walk their talk and stop hiding behind social media to cause divisions in the party and also advise the editors and administrators of the various media portals to jealously guard their reputation to remain relevant in their line of work. We would also congratulate all newly elected executives of our great NPP Party nationwide especially the polling station executives for their readiness to serve the party and ensure that the party remains in power for 2020 and beyond and re-assure Wassaman, the entire nation and Hon J.B.Aidoo that he is the finest person for the office of CEO of COCOBOD. God bless our homeland Ghana and make us great and strong

Columnist: Ezekiel Agyensem Korankye