The hierarchy of the New Patriotic Party in the Prestea Huni-Valley Constituency of the Western region has observed what it described as malicious publications about their Parliamentary Candidate, Lawyer Barbara Oteng Gyasi.

According to the party, the publications and claims are not only inaccurate but also damaging to the reputation and integrity of the candidate.

"As the NPP believes in the importance of fair and honest political discourse, the Party finds it troubling that such misinformation is being sanctioned and spearheaded by its main opponent in the Constituency, the National Democratic Congress.

"It has become necessary for us to remind constituents of the sheer malicious propaganda and mischief that the NDC Communication Bureau in Prestea Huni-Valley engineered against Hon. Lawyer Mrs. Barbara Oteng-Gyasi in the 2020 elections, which has brought the development of the constituency to a standstill,"

This was contained in a statement issued and signed by the Prestea Huni-Valley Constituency Communication Director, Mr. Isaac Addo, and copied to Daniel Kaku.

"This is because of the lack of a competent representative to lobby and initiate projects for the benefit of constituents," he stated.

"It is incomprehensible how NDC Prestea Huni-Valley welcomed the news of the selection of Prof Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, citing a win for female participation in politics yet at any given opportunity, they attack the personality of another woman in politics who has distinguished herself and brought massive development to Prestea Huni-Valley including incubators to save the lives of children at the Prestea Government Hospital, construction of an ultra-modern two-storey building Children's Block for the hospital and made sure the Municipality has benefited from the national cake by lobbying for several projects," he said.

Setting the records straight, the NPP hierarchy said Barbara Oteng Gyasi never assaulted anyone physically or verbally as being perpetuated by the NDC.

"Hon. Barbara Oteng Gyasi was plying the said route as part of her routine tour within the constituency and made a stop in the specified area to advise the person in question to desist from propagating false allegations regarding her involvement in galamsey on the radio stations failing which she would have no option than to take legal action against him to prove his allegations."

He emphasized that "The said individual, in view of his guilty conscience, took to his heels on sighting Mrs. Barbara Oteng-Gyasi in the vehicle, and so it is untrue for anybody to suggest that Hon. Lawyer Mrs. Barbara Oteng-Gyasi has confronted or verbally abused any member of the NDC communication team."

"It must be emphasized that a person's right to free speech ends where another person's right not to be defamed begins, and the right to free speech goes with a responsibility."

"We further debunk the allegations that Hon. Lawyer Mrs. Barbara Oteng-Gyasi is engaged in any illegal mining (galamsey) in Prestea Huni-Valley or any other part of the country. It's disingenuous on the part of the NDC, that the very same woman they tagged in 2020 as 'anti-galamsey' and entreated constituents to vote against her for that reason is now being accused by these same people as being involved in illegal mining. For the avoidance of doubt, the former legislator has never been and will never be engaged in galamsey and shall take legal steps to deal with "supposed media personalities" who should know better, but for reasons best known to themselves, have resorted to baseless allegations with the aim of damaging her hard-earned reputation, probably in the hope that it would build disaffection for her in the upcoming general elections."

"It must be noted that the NDC in Prestea Huni-Valley is desperate as they are saddled with a candidate whose abysmal performance over the past three years is facing resounding rejection across the Constituency and as usual have initiated a calculated plan to smear the reputation of Hon. Lawyer Mrs. Barbara Oteng-Gyasi. This dubious agenda shall be vehemently resisted and the truth laid bare at each point in time," he noted.

The statement appealed to all stakeholders, including our revered Nananom, Religious leaders, identifiable groups, and the women groups, to stand against the NDC Prestea Huni-Valley in their attempt to damage the reputation of Hon. Lawyer Mrs. Barbara Oteng-Gyasi, an illustrious daughter of Wassa, as these attacks have the potential to make other women in the Constituency with the potential and desire to contribute to the progress of the Constituency withdraw from seeking political and public office.

"However, if the NDC continues with this nefarious propaganda as they did in 2020, then the NPP will respond in equal measure, and the chips will fall where they may," he stated.