Kwabena Agyepong Sworn In

Kwabena Agyapong
Newly-elected General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, was yesterday sworn into office.

A source at the 37 Military Hospital, where the event took place, told DAILY GUIDE the oath, which was administered to him on his sick bed, was witnessed by members of the National Elections Committee of the party.

They included the Chairman of the Committee and the Chairman of the Council of Elders of the NPP, CK Tedam; Secretary to the Committee, Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah; Kwabena Sarpong, Cecilia Dapaah and Rev. Dr. Samuel Asante Antwi.

Also present was OB Amoah, Member of Parliament for Aburi.

Lawyer Nii Ayikoi Otoo, who is also a member of the Committee, administered the oath.

The former Press Secretary to President Kufuor was said to be full of smiles throughout the event which the source said lasted not more than five minutes.

Members of the Committee were said to have subsequently wished him speedy recovery and congratulated him on his election as General Secretary, after which they exchanged pleasantries and departed.

Mr. Agyepong could not attend the initial swearing-in ceremony which took place at the Tamale Sports Stadium last Sunday after Saturday's National Delegates Congress which elected him and others as the party's national executives to steer its affairs for a four-year term.

Even though he was in Tamale on Saturday, he had to be flown back to Accra to undergo treatment from injuries he sustained in an accident near Nsawam on the Accra-Kumasi road, while heading to Kumasi to campaign.

The doctors attending to him only gave him 12 hours to be away, after which he made a quick dash to the hospital.

He beat incumbent Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly known as Sir John, garnering 2,529 valid votes while the incumbent had 1,990 votes. Former Deputy Communications Director of the NPP, Yaw Buaben Asamoah, had 174 votes with retired army Captain, Kwame Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey managed to secure only 41.

 By Charles Takyi-Boadu