Chairman of the Manhyia South Constituency of the New Patriotic Party(NPP), in the Ashanti Region, Richard Adjei Mensah Ofori Atta, aka chairman ‘tom-tom’ is calling the bluff of the Chairman Wontumi led regional executives of the party, setting the tone for what promises to be a long tussle.
In a letter responding to an invitation from the regional executives for him to appear before a non-existent Disciplinary Committee in the house of Nana Nkansah Boadu, the chief of Agric, a suburb in the region, who is also a friend to the regional chairman Wontumi, chairman Tom-Tom inferred that he may not be available for any such meeting which he considers illegal.
The Manhyia South Chairman is supposed to appear before the quasi-judicial committee tomorrow, 19 March 2024, at 6pm, but New Crusading GUIDE understands he would not be at the meeting.
Chiefly among his reasons is that “As a Constituency Chairman, I am a member of the Regional Executive Committee, therefore, I am familiar with the business of the Committee.
I am aware that since the coming into office of the current Regional Executive Committee, various statutory committees have not been constituted in contravention of our Constitution.”
To the best of his knowledge in the letter dated 15 March, 2024, Chairman Tom-Tom said before the letter summoning him to the chief’s house was issued on 13 March, 2024, there was no Regional Disciplinary Committee in place, which leaves party members wondering whether the summons is legitimate.
The Manhyia South Chairman is also contending that the house of Nana Nkansah Boadu, which has been chosen to be the venue for the meeting is not appropriate, as it flouts the directive of the King, Otumfuo Osei Tutu, that no chief should take part in any party politics, citing the case of Wontumi and the Kokosohene as an example.
He is, therefore, calling on the Regional Executive Committee to constitute the Disciplinary Committee and that he would avail himself to any such committee anytime he is called upon to answer any questions.
As a businessman, however, Chairman Tom-Tom said he has “a lot of business engagements already scheduled outside the country. Kindly take my engagements into consideration and fix the meeting in July, 2024.”
Chairman Tom-Tom’s response follows a petition to the Regional Executives date 12 March, 2024, from one Paul Kwabena Yando, the regional communications director, which accused the Manhyia South Chairman of anti-party behaviour unbefitting a chairman of Tom-Tom’s calibre.
The petition was attached to the letter to Chairman Tom-Tom, who is also demanding the minutes at the Regional Executive Committee, that discussed any such petition before deciding to summon him to the chief’s private house.
Stay tuned for more.
