Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu challenges Ken Agyapong's US$800m bribery claim
Member of Parliament for the Suame constituency in the Ashanti region, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has rejected claims by New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer hopeful, Kennedy Agyapong, that he was offered an amount of USS$800 million to withdraw from the NPP presidential race.
Speaking in an interview on Okay FM on October 31, 2023, he expressed his scepticism about the validity of Agyapong’s claim.
He pointed out that the entire nation last received US$600 million in financial support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as part of a US$3 billion bailout.
The Majority Leader also doubted the claim that an individual could possess such an amount of money for influencing delegates.
“See, the entire country was given 600 million, so that means when the government got the 600 million, we kept it and looked for an additional 200 million to give to our brother Kennedy Agyapong, so where from this?
“Can you imagine that the entire country is seeking 600 from the IMF, and you have 800 million to pay as a bribe, where from this one? I want to let you know that the figure quoted is too unrealistic to be true,” he said.
He added, “800million is more than 9 billion cedis and the contractors that we owe in this country, certified invoices is close to over 10 billion, we don’t even have the money to pay and they have left the roads, so if you have 9 billion, won’t you go and pay the contractors?” he quizzed.
Kennedy Agyapong recently responded to claims by former Member of Parliament for Suhum, Frederick Opare-Ansah that he made a demand of $500 million in annual contracts from Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, as a condition to step down from his flagbearership bid.
While refuting the allegation in an interview on Time FM on Sunday, October 29, 2023, Ken Agyapong alleged that he was offered an amount of $800 million to step down from the party’s race for Dr Bawumia.
Kennedy will contest for the flagbearership slot along with three other contenders including Dr Bawumia, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, and Francis Addai-Nimoh.
The NPP has slated November 4, 2023, to elect a successor to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as leader of the party.
ghanaweb.com
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