THE MUNICIPAL Chief Executive (MCE) for Asokore Mampong, Kennedy Kankam, has allegedly been slapped at a New Patriotic Party (NPP) meeting.
Abdul Rashid, said to be the NPP Organiser for Asawase Constituency, has been accused of manhandling the government’s representative in the municipality.
Yakubu Tony Aidoo, a top member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Asawase Constituency, made the allegation on Akoma FM in Kumasi.
According to him, information he was privy to, indicated that Rashid slapped Kankam in the presence of other NPP constituency executives and electoral area coordinators.
Yakubu, who sounded very angry and panting for breath, stated that it was illegal for Rashid to stoop so low by slapping the government’s representative in the area.
“Even though I’m an NDC member, I’m disturbed by this illegal and shameful action by Rashid. Kankam is the president of the municipality so he represent all of us.
“One person cannot take the law into his own hands by slapping our MCE and go scot free,” Yakubu lamented live on radio on Friday.
The NDC leading member therefore vowed to personally deal with Rashid for assaulting the MCE, saying, “I have declared war against Rashid. We shall exchange blows.”
MCE Goes Mute
Meanwhile, Kofi Asante, the host of Akoma FM morning show, on Friday morning, said on his network that efforts for the MCE to talk about the slapping issue proved futile.
“We called the MCE, Kennedy Kankam, about the truth or otherwise of the slapping incident, but he refused to talk, citing the ongoing voter registration exercise as his excuse.
“The MCE did not deny of confirm that he had been slapped by Rashid when we called him. He, however, assured that he would talk about the issue in due time,” Kofi Asante said.
This reporter tried contacting the MCE for his side of the story, but he was unsuccessful.
Rashid Debunks Allegation
Meanwhile, Rashid, the Asawase NPP Organiser, has vehemently debunked wild allegations that he slapped the MCE during a party meeting, saying that he is innocent.
He said even though there was misunderstanding, which generated into a heated debate during the meeting, he never raised his hands against the government appointee.
“There was a slight misunderstanding at the meeting, but I didn’t touch the MCE. I cannot slap the MCE as Tony Aidoo is alleging, it’s total falsehood to dent my image,” he said.
Kennedy’s Appointment Brouhaha
As a reminder, the appointment of Kennedy Kankam, who is a former NPP Member of Parliament (MP) for Nhyiaeso, as Asokore’s Mampong MCE, suffered some level of resistance.
Some of the NPP members and sympathisers in the Asokore Mampong Municipality then described Kennedy Kankam as an alien in the party in their municipality.
They therefore threatened to reject his nomination but Kankam, who is an astute politician with years of experience, managed to scale through unscathed.
Until this latest slapping incident, Kankam was doing well as he had been able to work in peace with the NPP constituency executives in the Asawase Constituency.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi