The New Patriotic Party(NPP) Youth group made up of delegates of the Bantama constituency have in a press conference expressed disgust and disappointment in the incumbent Member of Parliament, Hon. Daniel Okyem Aboagye for his recent attacks targeted at the personality of his opponent, Mr. Francis Asenso-Boakye who has been highly tipped to win Saturday’s Parliamentary primaries.

The Bantama MP is on record to have levelled allegations of vote-buying against his opponent, a situation the soft-spoken Deputy Chief of Staff to President Akufo-Addo has earlier refuted in a Facebook post.

The group also demands Hon. Okyem Aboagye to immediately retract those unsubstantiated allegations and subsequently, render an unqualified apology to them. The group claim the allegation is ‘a dent on their integrity’ as delegates of the New Patriotic Party.

Read full statement below:

PRESS STATEMENT BY BANTAMA NPP YOUTH TO DENY ALLEGATIONS OF VOTE-BUYING

Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen of the press.

We have gathered here as delegates and constituents of the Bantama constituency to respond to some unfortunate baseless and unsubstantiated allegations made by our Member of Parliament, Hon. Daniel Okyem Aboagye and captured in sections of the media that we deem to impugn our integrity as delegates and the people we represent.

In those abusive and disparaging remarks made by the outgoing Member of Parliament, he alleges that his opponent, the distinguished Hon. Francis Asenso-Boakye has engaged in acts of “buying votes” to get our mandate to represent us in Parliament. As malicious as these statements are, we find them to be direct insult in our face. Are delegates that cheap to be bought; has Hon. Okyem Aboagye ever bought delegates before, and for what amount? We want to know!

Rather, what is known in this constituency is that, the outgoing MP has been giving out cash amounts from our share of the MPs Common Fund to some delegates instead of using the monies for their intended purposes, which is to develop the constituency, like investing in the poor state of roads as we have in almost all areas like in Kokoso, Ohwim, Abrepo Patasi, Asubonteng among others. Instead, the MP prefers to give cash to some delegates. So we ask the MP, is the GHc2000 he has been giving to some delegates meant for the development of Bantama or it is to buy their votes? When Hon. Okyem Aboagye in the 2015 primaries gave ten (10) cars, each for one of the ten electoral areas in Bantama on the eve of the party’s parliamentary primaries, was it intended to develop the constituency or to buy the votes of discerning NPP delegates? These questions are begging for answers!

We are very familiar with the modus operandi of Hon. Okyem Aboagye. He is a confident trickster. His style of politics is always characterized by lies, malicious propaganda and deceit which does not serve the well-being of Bantama but only to enrich himself.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the press all these we are saying is mainly to prove to you that if anyone intends and have started buying votes amongst the two aspirants, then it is obviously the outgoing MP, Hon. Daniel Okyem Aboagye. We want to emphasize that delegates are not cheap, and will not sell our conscience for money.

As delegates of the Bantama Constituency, we do not only represents ourselves but also the whole people in this constituency. We want nothing but the progress and development of our land and its people. We are clear in our minds that Hon. Okyem Aboagye has failed in that direction and also lacks the clout to lobby for development projects for our great constituency.

On the other hand, through the intervention of Hon. Asenso-Boakye the constituency is witnessing major several intervention projects in various sectors which will improve the living standards of residents and to ensure the stability, progress and long-term development of the constituency. These include donation of an ambulance and various medical equipment to Suntreso Government Hospital; construction of the first basic school for Ohwim-Hwidiem community; construction of a modern AstroTurf pitch at Kookooase School Park; donation of LED street lights; renovation of several school buildings; construction of road networks; distribution of computers and other educational materials to various schools in the constituency. Through the intervention of Hon. Asenso-Boakye, a lot of the youth have gained jobs in notable institutions, had access to quality education with scholarships, both in Ghana and abroad. If these acts of development is what the outgoing MP considers as vote-buying, then we the people will support such a person to help develop our area. We cannot allow one selfish politician to retard the development of Bantama. Bantama deserves better!

Ladies and gentlemen, these are some of the reasons we support Hon. Francis Asenso-Boakye, also known as Bantama Asenso-Boakye. He has the development of Bantama at heart, and we as delegates of the constituency will support him to bring progress and prosperity to our area.

In conclusion, we wish to reiterate our disgust at these malicious fabrications made by Hon. Okyem Aboagye not only against Hon. Asenso-Boakye but also against the good people of Bantama and ask that he retracts those unfortunate statements and subsequently renders an unqualified apology to all the people of Bantama. We also want to use this opportunity to humbly urge Hon. Asenso-Boakye not be cowed by these ugly attacks but remain focus in his quest to develop Bantama. We the youth of are solidly behind him! We cannot fail our constituency this time!

We thank you for your attention