General News of Monday, 15 October 2001

Source: Ghanaian Chronicle

Chief Chases NDC for ?32m Over Wrecked Car

The chief of Abomeyao in the Asuogyaman District of the Eastern Region, Togbe Agbodo Banahene III, is claiming ?32 million from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in respect of his Hyundai mini-bus the party hired for a rally at Frankadua on November 16, last year, and which was involved in an accident.

Togbe Banahene has given the NDC 21 days within which to either replace the bus or have themselves to blame.

The disturbed chief, speaking to the Ghanaian Chronicle at Atimpoku last week said, in November 2000, the Asuogyaman Constituency of the NDC approached him to hire the bus for a group of the party to enable them attend a rally at Frankadua to be addressed by Professor John Evans Atta Mills in the heat of the 2000 political campaign.

According to Togbe Banahene, after the rally, the vehicle with registration number GR 7232 R was involved in an accident at Tusker-Akwamu due to over-loading.

Togbe Banahene, who is also a farmer, said nobody even came to him to explain the incident, neither was a diesel worth ?50,000 bought into the vehicle paid for.

He stated that after waiting for a while without any sign, he approached Mr. Dwamena-Bekoe, (NDC) MP and former DCE in the constituency but no tangible answer was given him.

Togbe Banahene stressed, however, that he has exhausted all avenues to address the issue and, therefore, has to take action against the NDC for the recovery of his vehicle.

He explained that he bought the vehicle out of the sweat of his farming activity and would not allow a party whose members cared very little about poverty of the rural people to extend their exploitation to him and his family.

Attempts to contact Dwamena-Bekoe to explain the party's side of the story proved futile.