Methodist Bishop scolds NPP over Mahama's death

The Methodist Bishop of Obuasi in the Ashanti Region, Rt. Rev. S. R. Bosomtwi-Ayensu, has hit hard at the opposition New Patriotic Party, following the ghastly acid-attack on its Upper East Regional Chairman that led to his death.

The outspoken Bishop, who has often criticized government and has been tagged by sympathizers of the incumbent as politically bias, described the happenings in the opposition party as an affront to democracy.

He says if such ugly incidents if not checked, can undermine the country's security.

Alhaji Adams Mahama who was buried on Friday May 23 in line with Islamic tradition, was brutally bathed with acid by persons suspected to be enemies within his party.

This is because, prior to the unexpected attack, there had been a meeting in the Upper East Region where his party's National Chairman Paul Afoko and the General Secretary were scheduled to address parliamentary aspirants there.

The said meeting, which the late Regional Chairman claimed was done without his knowledge, was disrupted by some angry youth, who physically assaulted the regional organizer, believed to have acted in cahoots with the two national party leaders to sideline the late regional chairman.

At that meeting, Mr. Paul Afoko and Agyepong were reportedly chased out of the meeting as police offered them protection from a guest house where the botched meeting was to be held.

The angry youth were believed to have been hired by the late Regional Chairman who felt sidelined.

Following these developments, many have concluded even before police investigations into the matter, that the two national leaders may have orchestrated the acid-attack on the late regional chairman as a retaliation.

The incident has also rekindled issues of factionalism and infighting among the rank and file of the NPP.

But addressing a gathering at Abadwum in the Adansi North District of the Ashanti Region, the Methodist Bishop, Rev. Bosomtwi-Ayensu, said the incident is a clear indication that the party has lost touch with divergent views which is one of the tenets of democracy.

"Why can't leaders of the NPP tolerate each other" he quizzed.

He however noted that the death of Adams Mahama, must be treated as a national issue and not an internal party matter.

He thus entreated the security agencies to investigate it thoroughly and expose the perpetrators behind the heinous crime.

Rt. Rev. Bosomtwi-Ayensu also added his calls to the brouhaha on the withdrawal of allowances for teacher trainees by calling on government to reinstate the allowance.