Nana Obiri Boahen
The Vice Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Fredrick Fredua Anto, says the case involving the Deputy General Secretary of the party, Nana Obiri Boahen, cannot be swept under the carpet.
This is because the claims made in the secret audio recording containing a damaging allegation against the presidency were full of lies.
He accused Nana Obiri Boahen of debasing the NPP government and weakening the party’s corporate standing by his false statement made to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) activist because of his (Boahen’s) unique position as a national executive member.
“After reading the transcripts from his audio tape conversation, the steering committee felt Obiri Boahen has failed in his duty as a member to promote and protect the good name of the NPP as contained in the party’s constitution.
“Anything that a member does to impugn the good name of the party and government is tantamount to misconduct. And in this case for instance, he was utterly untruthful,” Mr Anto stated on Hello Fm, a local radio station in Kumasi, yesterday.
The NPP Vice Chairman also refuted claims by Mr Obiri Boahen that the party received a certain amount of money from the seat of government (the Flagstaff house) to finance the party’s national delegates’ conference in Cape Coast last year, describing it as palpable lie.
“I was privileged to be the chairman of the Organisational Committee of the NPP conference at Cape Coast. We had a budget which was discussed at the steering committee level on how to finance the conference. I can tell you on authority that none of the funds received actually came from the Flagstaff House. The claim is frivolous and unfounded,” F F Anto posited.
He continued, “You don’t lie against the president whom you have a duty to protect. As party executives, we are the vanguard of Akufo-Addo’s government. If the shepherd turns around to lie against the very government, then it’s in bad taste.”
Disciplinary Action
According to Chairman Anto, the party leadership considers it to be a serious matter and has accordingly referred it to the party’s Disciplinary Committee for investigations and recommendation.
He said a formal letter would be written by the Disciplinary Committee on behalf of the Acting General Secretary.
The national Steering Committee of the NPP on Wednesday had instructed Nana Obiri Boahen, to refrain from speaking to the media in any official capacity following the decision to refer his case for disciplinary action.
A release signed by John Boadu, acting General Secretary of the party, stated, “The steering committee, after listening to him, took cognizance of his public apology for the false allegation he had made against the Flagstaff House and the party leadership, and referred his conduct to the party’s disciplinary committee in accordance with Article 4 of the party constitution.
“The steering committee wishes to use the opportunity to remind members of the party of their duties under Article 3(D), which enjoins them to protect and promote the good name of the party and also remain loyal and truthful to the party’s cause at all times.”
Nana Obiri Boahen had alleged that the Flagstaff House spent ¢50 billion on the party’s Cape Coast delegates’ conference last year and that he was given only a pittance out of the amount.
He had subsequently apologized for the unguarded utterances.
Nana Obiri Baohen in the leaked telephone conversation that went viral last week is heard complaining about certain happenings in the NPP, including alleged sidelining.
However, in a statement he said “Respectfully, I am by this letter expressing my profound apology to the President, the Vice President, the Chief of Staff, the Steering Committee, the National Executives, Council of Elders, the National Executive Committee, the National Council of the New Patriotic Party and every member of the NPP for my indiscretion.”
He described the leaked tape as “heavily doctored and fraudulently voice-mimicked, which the contents thereof are untrue and incorrect and ought not to be given any credence and attention.”
From Ernest Kofi Adu, Kumasi