AMOATENG REFUTES ALLEGATIONS (PAGE 14)

THE Eastern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Mr Yaw Gyekye Amoabeng, has refuted allegations that his conduct led to the party’s abysmal performance in the region.
He also described as false an allegation that he personally made use of GH¢40,000 meant for the party’s campaign in the region.
The NPP Regional Chairman was reacting to a publication in the February 9, 2009 edition of The Democrat which said he was the cause of the low performance of the party in the recent general elections in the region.
The story under the headline “Akufo Addo Man Chops GH¢40,000” categorically stated that the incompetence of the Regional Chairman who pursued his selfish interest led to the party’s downfall in the region, a stronghold of the NPP.
It also stated that Mr Amoabeng personally “blew”GH¢40,000 meant for the electioneering campaign in the region.
At a press conference in Koforidua on Thursday, Mr Amoabeng said although so many factors could have led to the party’s low performance during the election, he was not personally responsible.
He said in view of that, a three-member committee had been set up to investigate the circumstances that led to the party’s slow performance to enable it to address any problem that would negatively affect the 2012 elections.
With regard to the allegation that he personally made use of GH¢40,000 meant for campaigns for the elections in the region, he said all funds allocated to him were disbursed.
Giving details on how he disbursed such moneys, he said he divided the region which has 28 constituencies into eight zones headed by co-ordinators who took their allocations from him, adding that the bulk sums for all the constituencies were made known to the co-ordinators.
“Every money given to me were given to the co-ordinators who know the actual figure of the bulk sum and considering that there are 28 constituencies, the GH¢40,000 which was said to have been given to me is even too small for that purpose”, Mr Amoabeng stated.
Mr Amoako said he was not surprised that The Democrat had come out with such a story to tarnish his image since it had done that before by falsely publishing that he had acquired some plots of land near the Opeibea House in Accra.
He said he would have written a rejoinder to what The Democrat wrote but its offices could not be traced, hence the press conference.
Mr Amoabeng has however opted for a legal suit to redeem his image .