Bibiani MP’s dollar comment annoying, money now running Ghana’s politics – Opanyin Agyekum

A Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana’s School of Languages, Professor Kofi Agyekum, has condemned MP for Bibiani Anhwiaso, Alfred Obeng-Boateng, over his decision to persuade New Patriotic Party (NPP) delegates with money ahead of the party’s primaries.

Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Bibiani Anhwiaso Constituency, Alfred Obeng-Boateng, has made it clear that he is fully willing to financially support delegates of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to secure the party’s parliamentary ticket for the upcoming 2024 general election.

In a widely circulated audio clip broadcasted by Sompa FM, the MP revealed that he had previously allocated substantial amounts, up to GHC3,000 per delegate, during the previous primaries.

He further emphasized his readiness to match or exceed any financial offers made by his competitors to gain the favor of the delegates in the upcoming selection process.

“I knew from day one that upon all the resistance I faced during my coming (into office), this time people will regroup more forces, pull their resources together and fight one person.

“So knowing all this, I know everyone’s financial strength; I know everyone’s financial limit here. So I know how much they can easily pull without being worried about it. When you have say a million Ghana cedis, you can give away GHC1,000 each without flinching.

“So we are about to go for primaries with about a thousand-two hundred delegates, the other time we paid around GHC3000 minimum per person and the primaries is coming again,” the MP said.

He stressed that he has deliberately set aside funds in US dollars to shield himself from the effects of inflation and is ready to provide up to GHC20,000 to each of the 2,200 delegates within the constituency to ensure his nomination for the party’s parliamentary ticket.

“I am telling you that the money I will use for the primaries is in dollars and that money has been secured long ago, I must be frank with you. That is money I am not touching under any circumstance.

“So I laugh seeing all that they are doing, I have dollars there for that primaries. What I can tell my delegates is that I will pay more than double of what anyone who will contest me will offer them, they should take that from me. If they come together and decide to pay GHC10,000 per delegate I will pay more than that.

“Whatever they pay, even if they pay GHC20,000 I will pay more than GHC20,000 because I know how much I have put there; I know how much I have reserved. That is why I saved in dollars so that the money will not lose value,” he noted.

Reacting to his comments in an interview on Peace FM, Professor Kofi Agyekum noted that it is unwise for political ambitions to run on one’s ability to distribute money to electorates.

According to him, such an unfortunate trend will only prevent credible people from running the affairs of the country.

“The man who are we talking about, it found it very annoying. Oh yes. If you say that you have gathered dollars and that the some people paid 1,000 and I paid 3,000. This time round, I’ve heard they will pay 10,000. I will pay 20,000.

So I asked, those who are going to vote, how many are they. So I asked Kwame and he was like the man will pay about GHS 40 million. So if you have wisdom, and you don’t have this money to share to people, you can’t enter politics,” he said.