'Sly might run for president' – La NDC

Sylvester Mensah might be considering running for President, the governing National Democratic Congress’ La Dade Kotopon Communication Director, Lawrence Lamptey, has revealed.

“Mr Sylvester Mensah is a young promising man… he might be thinking of being President…we believe he has a future and his image shouldn’t be dented,” Mr Lamptey told Ekow Mensah Shalders on Class91.3fm’s Executive Breakfast Show on Friday January 7, when he condemned the recent arrest of the former MP by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI).

“He has a political future of course… he has been an MP before, he has served in different capacities in the party and other levels, he has also served in government, he is still serving in government. So, he is still young, youthful, and active. He will still be aspiring for bigger positions; definitely, so, if he is eyeing a presidential position, I wouldn’t be shocked at all,” Mr Lamptey said.

The former CEO of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) said Thursday that no evidence of fraud has been established against him, as far as the BNI’s probe into his tenure at the NHIA is concerned.

Mr Mensah, who is also a presidential staffer, said he is confident he will come out of the probe unscathed.

“I have submitted myself to the BNI and I have responded to most of the questions. I’m still waiting for further questions, if they have. As we speak today, what I can assure you of, is that of all the discussions that we have had, there is nothing that makes Sylvester Mensah guilty of fraud.

“The interaction with the BNI has been very cordial. It is their responsibility, they have a duty, it is within their mandate to undertake that exercise, and I have submitted myself to them and I can assure you that we are going to end this exercise without any scratch,” the former La Dade Kotopon MP told angry party members and fans in the constituency Thursday.

The party supporters in the constituency have locked up all party offices and ceased all party activity in protest against the probe which Mr Mensah is being subjected to. But Mr Mensah said: “There is no reason for us to say that we are closing down our offices or that we are suspending party activity.”

A court ordered Thursday that all bank accounts of the former legislator be frozen until investigations into alleged financial malfeasance levelled against him are over. The order was given by the Accra Financial and Economic court.

It followed an ex-parte application made by the Financial Intelligence Centre, which serves as a national centre for the receipt and analysis of: (a) suspicious transaction reports; and (b) other information relevant to money laundering, associated predicate offences and financing of terrorism.

Officials of the Bureau of National Investigations arrested Mr Mensah last week. He was detained for a couple of days after interrogation. His residence was searched by BNI officials prior to his arrest.

The BNI is investigating Mr Mensah and some other officials of the NHIA for some alleged discrepancies concerning claims made at the Authority during his tenure of office.