- refutes allegations of removing Ken Agyapong’s billboard
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Nsawam/Adoagyiri, Frank Annor-Dompreh has refuted claims that he ordered the removal of a billboard artwork of Kennedy Agyapong, MP forAssin Central and one of the flagbearer aspirants of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The claims by some loyalists and supporters of Mr. Agyapong, the Nsawam MP said, are mere fabricated lies and a “rehearsed strategy” targeted at tarnishing his image.
Addressing a section of the media on Monday, August 21, 2023, Mr. Annor-Dompreh who is also Majority Chief Whip in Parliament, emphasised that even though he does not support the Assin Central MP’s candidature, he would never engage in any such activities to interfere with his campaign.
“I want to make it clear that I had no involvement in the removal of the artwork from either a billboard, nor do I know who was responsible for it.
I am not a violent person. I will not destroy anybody’s artwork for anything. I feel very pained and very worried about why his campaign team would just be hurling horrible lies at me- I don’t know whether to score political points or simply to remain relevant.
I think it is a rehearsed strategy not by himself, but by people who are loyal to him,” he said.
According to the Chief Whip, following the allegations and insults on traditional and social media platforms, he was compelled to cut short a trip in the US to conduct aninvestigation into the matter.
It was then established that, the said artwork was ‘illegally’ mounted in the Nsawam township without prior knowledge of an advertising company that owned the metal work.
The company upon realising that their space had been used without notice, caused the removal.
Subsequently, Kennedy Agyapong’s campaign team reached out to the advertising company and made payment that saw tothe reinstalling of the artwork.
Mr. Annor-Dompreh expressed amazement at the inability of the team to publicly announce the truth after it was established that he did not cause the destruction as previously alleged.
“Given that the truth has emerged and the situation has been rectified, I believe an apology would be appropriate,” he remarked.
He further bemoaned that it was not the first time baseless accusations had been directed at him in connection with the Assin Central MP.
According to him, a couple of months ago, he was accused of saying Mr. Agyepong “is not a presidential material”, a statement he maintained he never uttered.
Support for Dr. Bawumia
All the allegations, according to Mr. Annor-Dompreh, stem from his declaration in support of the Vice President, Dr.Mahamudu Bawumia’s candidature as the flagbearer of the NPP.
He appealed to his colleagues in the party to be responsible in their actions and refrain from attacking personalities due to their choices of candidates in the party’s internal elections.
“As colleagues within the NPP, we should exercise restraint and understanding, especially during this internal election season.
I want to appeal to our colleague- I don’t have anything personal against him. In this contest, people have taken positions, and I am a human being. I have also taken a position, and I feel proud about the person I support. And if I have to suffer the allegations and persecutions because of my support for the Vice President, I find it very strange.
I want to sound a note of caution that they should respect my decision. My decision to support the Vice President is not out of nothing; it is based on substantive evidence of what the man can do for our party and this country,” he further said.
