Former Ghana’s deputy Ambassador to China during the John Mahama administration, Ambassador Horace Nii Ankrah has denied media reports that Vice President Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia led a team of New Patriotic Party (NPP) members to beg for campaign funds in China ahead of the 2016 general election.

Newspapers affiliated to the then governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) reported that the NPP took their begging bowl to China for some foreign cash to support its 2016 presidential and parliamentary electioneering campaign.

According to the reports, interestingly, despite stern warnings in the 1992 Constitution, as well as the Political Parties Law; Act 574 of 2000, against non-Ghanaians funding political parties, many Chinese nationals were at the event donating to the NPP and receiving gifts of appreciation from Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who led the delegation to the Asian country.

The blatant disregard, the Herald Newspaper said followed news that the NPP coffers, had been drained by especially, its flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo, for his expensive travels abroad, while other expenditures made by Freddie Blay and Kwabena Abankwa Yeboah acting National Chairman and National Treasurer respectively, could not be accounted for.

But speaking to host Akwasi Nsiah on Si Mi So on Kasapa FM, Ambassador Horace Nii Ankrah stated that his independent investigation revealed that Dr Bawumia rather gave out a gift.

“I never heard nor saw Bawumia begging for money in China, what I realized from my small investigation is that on that particular occasion Bawumia and his team rather presented gifts to the Chinese and not that they were begging. You could see clearly from the pictures that Bawumia was not begging. I’m not sure they flouted any law. If they begged money for their campaign I’m sure they would have done it behind close doors and not as open as it was witnessed. Politicians and political parties always seek funding for their activities and so if Bawumia were to solicit for funds it wouldn’t have been new. But no serious politician will seek financial support in such open manner.”