NDC parliamentary candidate cries foul… Says Amenfiman Sch Head frustrating him

MR. AKWASI Oppong Fosu, National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for the Amenfi East Constituency in the Western Region, has told The Chronicle that the Headmistress of the Amenfiman Senior High School, at Wassa Akropong, had refused to allow him meet the staff and non-teaching staff of the school.

According to him, his main contender for the seat, Mr. Joseph Boahen Aidoo, the incumbent New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP), was given the platform to meet the staff and non-staff of the school previously, but the school had turned down his request.

He claims he was ignored when he wrote officially to the school's authority to meet the staff.

Mr. Oppong Fosu complained that he had not been treated fairly, since they were all aspiring parliamentary candidates, who had officially sought permission to meet staff of the school.

Speaking to The Chronicle, Mr. Oppong Fosu, said public servants should realise that parliamentary candidates were potential MPs, so they should not do things to antagonise others in favour of the parties they support.

“Public servants should do well not to compromise their professional integrity, and should not be partisan,” he stressed. Meanwhile, Mr. Frank Adjei Quaye, Assistant Headmaster of Amenfiman Senior High School, told The Chronicle that the visit of Mr. J. B. Aidoo, the MP of the constituency, to the school was not to give him the platform to campaign.

According to him, the MP, who taught in the school from 1979 to 1981, was allowed to visit the school, because he was the sitting MP, so the school would not hesitate to welcome Mr. Oppong Fosu, when he becomes the MP for the constituency.

He said the school's authority did not want to use the school as a platform for politicians to canvass for votes for their parties, which was why they denied the NDC candidate the same honour they gave to the incumbent.

The Assistant Headmaster disclosed that the NPP Constituency Chairman and his secretary were not allowed to come to the school with the MP, since they did not want to make the visit a political one.

He further confirmed that the MP took advantage of his presence in the school, to indirectly campaign.

The MP visited the school on November 24, after Mr. George K. Ntori, the NPP Constituency Chairman, had written a letter on November 20, while the NDC letter was written on the November 25 and was signed by Paul Nkrumah, the NDC Constituency Chairman.

Mr. Adjei Quaye was quick to show the letters to this reporter, which were all written on the letterheads of the various parties. On the letter of the NDC, the Assistant Headmaster wrote in a black pen, “It is regrettable that the meeting would not take place. It would be allowed when the candidate becomes MP.”