Regional Minister patches rift in assembly

Mampong (Ash), Oct. 12, GNA - Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister, has dismissed a claim that President John Agyekum Kufuor had promised the people in the Mampong Constituency that the post of District Chief Executive was permanently theirs to the exclusion of other areas in the Sekyere West District.

He said the boycott of the assembly by Members from the Nsuta-Kwaman-Beposo Constituency over the allegation was, therefore, misplaced.

Mr Boafo, who mediated over the matter at a special meeting of the Sekyere West District Assembly at Mampong on Monday, appealed to the members from the Nsuta-Kwaman- Beposo Constituency to apologise to the President for challenging him to deny or confirm the allegation, describing their action as an affront to the integrity of the President.

On September 24 Assembly members from Nsuta, Kwaman and Beposo boycotted the Assembly's sitting, alleging that the President had pledged the position of the DCE permanently to Mampong.

One Eugene Dwomoh, an Assemblyman for Nyinampong, claimed during a phone-in programme on Mighty Radio, a private FM station at Mampong, that President Kufuor made the alleged promise when he and some elders of Mampong called on him when he was in Kumasi to attend the recent NPP Delegates' Conference.

Mighty Radio denied that Mr Dwomoh made the statement on their Radio but could not substantiate their claim since they did not record the programme.

Following the denial by the Radio Station, Mr Boafo appealed to the assembly members from the three areas to render an apology to the President for the embarrassment caused him.

This, they did through Nana Kodua Basoah, a Government appointee in the Assembly.

The Regional Minister said, notwithstanding, the denial and apology rendered by the Nsuta-Kwaman-Beposo assembly members, there must be a thorough investigation into the conduct of Mr Dwomoh, who should be brought to order if found guilty so that the pain of his alleged statement would not fester in the hearts of the people of Nsuta-Kwaman-Beposo.