*…And Visits His “Stinking” Past *

By Samuel Mensah Torbizo

The Chief Executive of Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has lambasted Dr. Josiah Nii Aryeh, the interim chairman of the newly formed political party, National Democratic Party (NDP) owned and financed by Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings.

Mr. Samuel Sarpong, described the former General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) as a dishonest and unworthy person, who must be ignored by all true members of the NDC, because the NDP can cause no havoc to the chances of the ruling party retaining power in the December Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.

“How can a General Secretary who tried to sell his party’s secrets to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for money while in opposition be trusted as a true-blooded member of the NDC,” he quizzed.

The KMA boss’ comment was in apparent reference to Dr. Aryeh’s secret meeting with bigwigs of the NPP, including a Vice-Chairman of the NPP, Stephen Ntim in an East Legon house belonging to one Nii Owoo. He was taped exchanging the NDC’s strategy for the December 2004, for a paltry US$3,000.

Dr. Aryeh initially denied it but was exposed when his recorded voice was played, and he was indicted subsequently while a committee headed by Mr. Alban Bagbin was unveiled to probe him.

Addressing NDC supporters in the Kwadaso Constituency in the Ashanti Region, during a medical screening exercise on breast cancer, hepatitis B and other diseases organized by the constituency executives of the party, Mr. Sarpong said those behind the formation of the NDP are disgruntled, and are doing so out of bitterness.

The KMA boss, without mincing words poured his venom on some members of the Friends of Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings (FONKAR) who normally attack the integrity of President John Mills and his appointees at the least chance they get to speak on radio.

“It is very embarrassing that some members of FONKAR have the guts to chastise our President publicly, forgetting they were rather destroying the party by giving ammunition to our opponents,” he remarked.

He said the attitude of such persons amounted to nothing but derailing the efforts by the leadership of the party to make it a winsome side for the elections which is less than five months away.

“Why should we keep on washing our dirty clothes publicly only to disintegrate a party we have toiled to build with our sweat and resources? We must remain united to achieve the ultimate goal ahead of us,’’ he appealed.

Mr. Sarpong, though was disturbed about developments in the NDC, was hopeful that the party would defy all odds to retain power.

The Kwadaso Constituency Organizer of the party, Francis Dumeh who was the brain behind the cleanup and the medical screening exercises, said the event was done to promote good health of the people irrespective of their political inclination.

According to him, the nation can strive to attain the desirable socio economic growth only when the labour forces are very healthy to go about their businesses.

“We decided to do theses exercises to create awareness about the dangers breast cancer and hepatitis as well as unclean environment pose to the effort to accelerate national development,” he said.

Mr. Dumeh indicated that such programmes would be repeated periodically as a way of making the people know their health status, since “ no sick person will be ready to queue out to vote for any political party, therefore, we are doing this to make them aware of their health situation for them to go for early treatment.