Our attention has been drawn to some false claims by Mr. Alan Kyerematen during a TV interview at United Television this morning, regarding the political progression of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Mr. Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly, known as Chairman Wontumi.
According to Mr Kyerematen, he discovered and introduced Chairman Wontumi to political limelight. Although Chairman Wontumi was once a staunch supporter of Mr. Kyerematen, it is never true that he brought him (Chairman Wontumi) to mainstream politics or political limelight.
As a matter of fact, Chairman Wontumi became the NPP Constituency Chairman of Bosomtwe as a staunch loyalist of Nana Akufo Addo. It was during his time as the Bosomtwe Constituency Chairman that he met Mr. Kyerematen. And it was actually the current District Chief Executive for Atwima Nwabiagya North, Hon. Rebecca Yeboah, popularly known as “Sister Bantama”, who was at the time a member of the NPP Volunteer Media Communication who took Chairman Wontumi to the residence of the then NPP Constituency Chairman for Asokwa, Mr. Robert Asare Bediako, where he met Mr. Kyerematen. During their meeting, someone recorded and leaked the engagement to the then Opposition Leader, HE Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo.
Out of fury, some handlers of HE Nana Akufo Addo prevented Chairman Wontumi from seeing him when the latter visited to seek his blessings and support for his Regional Chairmanship ambition. But through the intervention of Hon Eugene Boakye Antwi, Chairman Wontumi got the chance to visit HE Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo in London.
With the exception of the late Dr. Kwame Amoako Tuffour who stood solidly behind and with Chairman Wontumi, all the other Akufo Addo loyalists were against him. To state it categorically without mincing words, Chairman Wontumi went into the Regional Chairmanship Elections against Hon. Lawyer Osei Prempeh without the support of HE Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo and Mr. Alan Kyerematen.
Indeed, 100% credit goes to the late Dr. Amoako Tuffour so far as the successful regional chairmanship bid of Chairman Wontumi is concerned. Chairman Asare Bediako, Agya Sei and my good self, Andy Owusu who was the Campaign Manager at the time, also played various instrumental roles in the campaign.
I will conclude by stating that, Mr. Kyerematen’s claims of introducing Chairman Wontumi to political limelight, and making him Constituency Chairman and subsequently, Ashanti Regional Chairman are palpable falsehoods, and must be treated with the contempt they deserve.
signed:
Andy Owusu,
Special Assistant to Chairman Wontumi