The Ashanti Regional Security Council has also cleared the embattled former Member of Parliament for Nhyiaeso Constituency, Kennedy Kwasi Kankam, of alleged misapplication of his share of the Common Fund.
Chairman of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) Simon Osei Mensah in an interview on Kumasi-based Nhyira FM when asked about his take on the growing brouhaha on the alleged misapplication of the former Nhyiaeso MP’s common fund, explained that “so far as I’m concerned former MP did nothing wrong and I don’t know where all these allegations are stemming from, is it because he is highly tipped for the Mayor position?” he quizzed.
Mr Osei Mensah’s comments come at the back of a recent communique that captured the former Nhyiaeso MP highlighting that he has been allegedly indicted by a supposed Auditor General report for diverting a sum of GH¢500,000 withdrawn from the DACF to fund a loan scheme for some constituents.
After a back-and-forth discussion on social media, traditional media and court of public opinion, the explanation by the regional minister will put the matter to rest and curtail further spinning and speculations by opponents and insiders.
It seems the clearance from the regional minister was enough until the Chief Executive of Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Osei Assibey Antwi, on Tuesday, June 15 in an interview on Akoma FM’s current affairs and political show GhanAkoma reiterated the regional minister’s claims.
“The allegations on the former Member of Parliament is neither here nor there because the issue is an internal affair and was not supposed to have gotten overboard to third parties, so there’s nothing illegal in what he did and even the KMA has issued a communique in response to the numerous speculations that has potential to dip Kankam’s name in the mud.”
Mr. Assibey Antwi further urged the public to disregard such allegations with the contempt it deserves as he explained “because of the mayorship race, some people would want to go to every extent to reduce people’s hard-earned legacy and reputation to the barest minimum”.
Kennedy Kankam, who has suffered at the mercy of such speculations until the vindication by the regional minister, had always buttressed his points with copies of letters and other documents that affirmed the reclassification of his common fund and subsequent approval by the KMA.
After the mayor’s clearance on Akoma FM, Mr Kankam joined the discussion and told host of the show Aduanaba Kofi Asante Ennin that “I know someone is really interested in tarnishing my name, because it’s not just a mere coincidence that at the eleventh hour of the mayorship race, they have come up with this document which is out of place, outmoded and doesn’t even reflect the connotations of the allegations put out there”.
He further cautioned all media outlets who had interests in reporting and publishing the inaccuracies about him to retract and apologize within 48 hours or face a court suit.
By Nana Asenso Mensah|Akoma FM|3news.com|Ghana