Assin Central Member of Parliament and presidential hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, has addressed the controversy surrounding his "strategist" comment on the government’s management of the economy.

He has clarified that contrary to what has largely been interpreted, it was not targeted at Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia.

In an interview on Home Radio, Mr. Agyapong explained that his remarks were directed towards a specific Member of Parliament, rather than the Vice President.

“The truth hurts…so you are the victim, and I am educating you, and you think I’m hitting back? You see, they are not being fair. I did not hit the Vice President but I hit one MP because he said, 'We don’t want somebody who will come and say that I have done this and that for the party and Ghana, but we want a strategist,” Agyapong quoted.

“So I asked; ‘Who is a strategist'?” he clarified.

He asserted that his intention was not to attack Vice President Bawumia, but to criticize another parliamentarian who had questioned the government’s strategic approach.

Mr. Agyapong then pointed out an incident in Parliament where the said MP had claimed that Ghana would not approach the International Monetary Fund (IMF), only to have the country seek IMF assistance later. This led Agyapong to question the MP’s claims of being a strategist, criticizing what he described as "diabolic ways".

The Assin Central lawmaker also expressed his disappointment with the media, accusing them of sensationalising news and not providing the full context of his statements.

He emphasised that his remarks were made in an attempt to advise against divisive campaigning within the party and to promote unity among its members.

Mr. Agyapong further opened up about his experiences with politics and the challenges he faced, stating, “The people that I have helped, made them who they are today, they are the ones that are against me.

"I bought cars, gave them money, campaigned for them to win their seats, but now, they’re my number one enemy. But I just look at them, and I say Lord, forgive them because of their stomach”.



GA/SARA