Ashanti Region NDC In Tatters

Barely four months to the December general elections, the Opposition National Democratic Congress has been plunged into serious crisis.

This culminated in the closure of its constituency office in Old Tafo, Kumasi on the orders of Alhaji Ballah, a leading member of the party, who accused Ashanti Regional Chairman, Mr Emmanuel Nti Fordjour, of disrespectful and selfish behaviour.

Alhaji Ballah claimed that he personally financed the setting up of the office in the newly created constituency at the cost of ¢7 million. He said he could therefore not sit down unconcerned for Mr Fordjour to throw his weight about by using his position to single handedly pick the constituency executives and impose an unknown person on the constituency.

The person in question is, Mr Saliu Ibrahim, Assemblyman for Manhia Afua Kobi electoral area, who, it is alleged, leaves no stone unturned to satisfy his parliamentary ambition. Alhaji Ballah noted that as far back as 1996, he started using his own resources to fund projects of the party including the office, which was burnt down in the same year, without receiving any reward from the party.

He stated that when he drew the attention of the Regional Chairman to the anomaly, the chairman promised to take measures to correct it, but later turned a deaf ear to the matter. He therefore appealed to the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party to bring Mr Fordjour to order for what he described as “unwarranted behaviour”.