My attention has been drawn to a publication in the Daily Guide issue of 22nd November 2011, page 18, and I wish to oblige a response:

I would, as a matter of course, like to state unequivocally, that this interview piece is no less spurious, malicious and a determined effort by the New Juaben South Constituency Chairman of the NPP, Mr Alexander Agyena Sarpong, and some individuals to bring my good name into public opprobrium and disdain.

I must also state that I am least enthused about the twists and turns of what the Chairman has cunningly purposed to make the world believe about my person. A sustained smear campaign craftily hatched and being wickedly rolled out to destroy my person and character, has culminated in this publication. I feel strong that this is a ‘hitting below the belt’, blameworthy and scandalous of the Chairman and his ilk to go public with such a fabrication.

For the record, I have been set up by some people in my constituency to fail as an MP, and these avowed party members have done their evil best in the past nearly three years to have the cause to say “aha” there she is!!!Their wicked and diabolical intentions will never stand in so far as my Jehovah lives! I am least surprised at this, therefore, because I have been dealing with intense opposition from some party members since day one of my assumption of office, and I steering clear of these manholes and roadblocks!

No doubt I have been long tipped off by well meaning constituents about the audacious and devilish attempt by some party members in the constituency to assassinate my character for reasons best known to them. This is just the tip of the iceberg, and I am sure there is more to come on my way for me to deal with.

In my position as incumbent MP (until January 2013), and a party faithful, I felt I was deserving of an ounce of respect from my own party members in the constituency, but sadly, this has not been the case. Rather, the mad dogs have been set upon me to rip me apart. What crime have I committed to be hounded by these hyenas of men and women and those yelping for my blood? I have been variously tagged the “wicked witch”, and the like, by some party men and women in my constituency. And inspite of all these, they have the effrontery to say I have distanced myself from party activities. A real sorry case this is!

Suffice it to say that I am ably discharging my duties as a party woman and MP, and there has never been a time when I can be said to have done things, and or failed to do things, which can safely be said to be inimical to the supreme interest of our party. I will continue to deliver my best for the service of party, constituency and country, the derisions despite.

Instead, it has become, and increasingly so, by the day, a case of ‘giving a dog a bad name so to hang it’ scenario and no less a ‘dog eat dog’ affair. It will be anybody’s guess to think what Beatrice Bernice Boateng’s crime is and has been! I have long been aware that some men and women in the constituency have mounted the high horse of destruction and are hell bent on sacrificing me on the altar of political expediency and their wicked selfishness. To these cowards I would say I shall not capitulate to their evil schemes and machinations. I would selflessly continue to spend and be spent for the cause of self, constituency, party and country.

From the interview, the following could be gleaned:

That, Mr Agyena Sarpong “had called on the party hierarchy to intervene and ensure peace and unity in the constituency”. What is my part in this, and where have I erred as incumbent MP? Is the New Juaben South NPP on fire, which I do not know? And for what cause is the National Executive of the party being called upon to come douse certain imaginary flames? Please come again on this and well, and stop being a poor alarmist. Pronto!

That, his “appeal follows differences that arose during the party primaries in the constituency”. What differences are you on about? I would be happy to be told what negative and vindictive campaign I run before and during the said parliamentary primaries; what differences I had with the candidates nor party hierarchy. The will of the people stood and I failed in my bid for the parliamentary candidature. There has never been bad blood and will there ever be, because I believe everything good or bad, victory or loss is God’s making.

That, “he said the situation was becoming entrenched as some NPP members had decided not to take part in any party activities”. Which people are being referred to here? Am I part of this classificatory group of party members? Has the Chairman cared to learn firsthand from the communities what problems they may have, except to go for the cheaper option of projecting their failings on me? The Chairman’s claim could have been made a lot clearer.

That, “the impression being created is that everything is well, but fact on the ground is that there are entrenched positions as some candidates and their followers feel that the election did not favour them and must therefore sit on the fence”. Did the Chairman really say this? If so, it would be good for the Chairman and his executives to go ascertain the root causes of his claim so to enable him find a solution to such state of affairs. After all, realising what the problem is feeds into the solution to the problem. This is the essence of your position as Chairman of the party in the constituency.

That, “parliamentary primary was strictly an internal affair, adding that the outcome of primaries must be taken in good faith for the good of the party”. Have I not accepted the verdict of the party’s rank and file in the constituency? Have I not congratulated Dr Assibey Yeboah on his victory since? Where is the good faith lacking? I am at peace with the outcome of the primaries. Nothing is able to rob me of my peace of mind, of heart, of God and with God. This is clearly a figment of the Chairman’s imagination to be thinking the contrary as the case.

That, “as the party Chairman, he had his preferred candidate but accepted the party’s decision after the primaries”. Very well said, Chairman. So now, the hen has come home to roost! I thought you did not vehemently deny supporting one of the candidates prior to and during the primaries? So were you telling fib then, when you had granted newspaper interviews prior to the primaries to the effect that you had no preferred choice? Politics as usual, I guess, would be your answer.

That, “it would be better if the National Executives of the party or the Presidential Candidate himself tried to settle whatever differences in the constituency to ensure the party won more votes in the New Juaben South”. Does it mean that without the involvement of the National Executive and Nana Addo, not much can be achieved in the constituency? Is the Chairman’s SOS appeal to the National executives and Nana Addo a vote of no confidence in himself; or that the apparent situation is so hydra-headed to require the intervention of the big shots in the party? This is a ‘Don Quixote fighting windmills’ paradox, and it is shameful on the part of Mr Agyena Sarpong.

That, “amongst the two aspirants who lost in the primaries, Michael Oteng Adu had been joining the campaign team to promote the winning candidate as the party’s candidate for the parliamentary elections”. Again, he said, “it is sad to note that the incumbent MP, who lost in the primaries, has decided to distance herself from any party activities”. The Chairman has done well in painting me in this bad light, and I would applaud him for that. I will hesitantly accept this negative tag and I will do well to hang in there for the time being. How on earth can a whole Chairman so desperately and wrongly imply that barring BB taking part in the campaign, things will be difficult for the party? Does BB wield any magic wand over the people in the constituency? Do I have anything good to offer the party in the constituency? Do I leave my work in Parliament in favour of a certain campaign? What party activities have I distanced myself from? The Chairman is good to know that his diabolical intentions against me will never wash. The Chairman is trying to be emotive with his “it’s sad” mantra. I’m very surprised that he is appearing to have any emotions. Is it implicit that he cares for the party more than anyone else? If so, God save us!

Finally, that,” he and Yaw Barimah, her predecessor had personally made efforts to bring her onboard but to no avail”. May I know when you made such overture to me? When did you talk to me last? What medium did you choose to get me involved? By text message? Face to face chat? Telephone call? Letter? When has anyone called to offer me a role in the scheme of things of the party as they claim? I shudder to understand how some men can so gleefully wear the cloak of cowardice to chat such twaddle! I am least perturbed by the names mentioned in the publication: Yaw Barimah, Agyena Sarpong, and Michael Oteng Adu, all portrayed to be doing something for the party and somebody is not. I fail to conjecture how some people can have the moral courage to try and play saintly in the party. How some people can mount the moral high horse overnight to legislate for others! This too I don’t know, and I can’t get my head around it! God save us!!

If there was any veracity in the Chairman’s claims, and if not for their evil underhand motives against my person, would not using the party’s internal mechanisms the best way to go? It is unfortunate, yet interesting to learn that some of our party members would readily and happily expend their energies, time and resources to fight and destroy each other (in this instance, me), rather than directing their energies and time and resources towards our political opponents.

In sum, I would like to pose these questions to the Chairman: Is he the Parliamentary Candidate? If he is not, where is the Candidate, and what sound advice has he proffered to the Candidate in the circumstances? Has the Chairman not learnt anything about like constituencies where incumbents had lost in the primaries and how the failed and the victors are working together for the party’s good? Is he really in control of party affairs in the Constituency? Is he proving equal to his task? How does such a negative article help the cause of our great party in the upcoming 2012 elections? In what way do such crass shenanigans foster unity in the party? How does it build our party up but to tear it down? Which of us can be said to be killing the party in the constituency but you and your henchmen? Sir, it is your duty and not the National Executive nor Nana Addo to come clean up the mess you have created and are creating, unless you are saying you are not able and capable. The public is the jury!

I think Mr Agyena Sarpong and his band of destructive elements within the party would heed this free advice: that they will implore all those known persons who had pooled their resources and energies and time to ensure Dr Assibey Yeboah’s victory in the primaries to not leave him in his direst hour of need as this is the time he needs them most.

I have pledged, and have demonstrated my resolve to ensuring a resounding victory for our great party in the upcoming 2012 general elections, and this is what I will work at assiduously and commit myself to.

I, for the love of the party and good judgment sake, will not like to go public on these people and what they are up to within the party. I would thus hold fire.

Long live Ghana!!!!!!!!Long live the NPP!!!!!! Long live New Juaben South!!!!!!

Signed, Hon. Beatrice Bernice Boateng (NPP MP-New Juaben South)