NPP fights over party cash as internal cracks resurface

The opposition NPP has descended into another round of party in-fighting as top party officials trade counter-accusations of mismanagement of party cash.

First Vice Chairman of the party Freddie Blay is accusing the National Chairman Paul Afoko and General Secretary Kwabena Agyepong of mismanaging funds.

This comes after a statement from the office of the National Chairman warning punitive action will be taken against the rank and file of the party found to have embezzled funds.

Freddie Blay is accusing Mr Afoko and Mr Agyepong of rather hijacking the management of the party’s funds and spending money without rendering account to the steering committee.

He told Joy News Kwakye Afreh Nuamah that Mr Afoko has reported the matter to the police CID who have invited him for questioning.

A statement signed by the Spokesperson of the National Chairman, Nana Yaw Osei, "The National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Paul A. Afoko, is assuring the rank and file of the party across the country that the leadership of the party will deal with any acts of corruption and other financial malfeasance that come up at all levels of the party."

He said, "This is the only way to ensure that monies belonging to the party and entrusted in the hands of those whose responsibility it is to perform certain functions for and on behalf of the party do not squander such resources."

The statement emphasised that, "Any party member who embezzles party money and/or misuses resources belonging to the party for his/her personal interest must be seen as an enemy to the party’s chances to the 2016 general elections. Such a person(s), if found out, will be dealt with in accordance with the law."

"Mr. Afoko is confident that the fight against perceived corruption within the party at all levels of the party structure is enough demonstration of the party’s commitment to fighting corruption within the Ghanaian society when Ghanaians entrust the management of the country’s economy into the hands of the party’s flagbearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and a team of competent persons he will pick to help him in running of the affairs of the State of Ghana.

We have a flagbearer who is incorruptible, and it is the expectation of the National Chairman that all party members, especially office holders at all levels, will emulate the incorruptible nature of our flagbearer by applying resources of the party judiciously with the view to improving the party’s chances of winning the 2016 general elections," it added.

The Spokesperson of the Chairman of the NPP, revealed that, "the monthly financial support from the party’s Members of Parliament has ceased since February 2015."

Responding to this, Deputy Minority Leader, Dominic Ntiwul, said he was outraged by the recent developments in the party.

He said the NPP cannot continue to wash its dirty linen in public.

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com|EA