The morning show host of Wontumi Tv and Radio, Oheneba Nana Asiedu, has corroborated reports by his colleague in the media space, Captain Smart, that the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi and the late Deputy Finance Minister Dr John Kumah were poisoned.
In an interview on Wontumi Radio, Oheneba Nana Asiedu, alleged that the duo were poisoned on October 22, 2023, at Tamale, and not Kumasi as earlier reported by Captain Smart, where some NPP members had gathered to aid the campaign of Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
“It didn’t happen in Kumasi but Tamale. We were in Tamale, me, Chairman Wontumi, John Kumah and my own brother and one of Chairman Wontumi’s boys, Kwabena Marfo,” he first clarified.
According to him, the team was to move from Tamale to Walewale but due to some delays, they had to return to Tamale. Oheneba noted that he stopped his work to join Chairman Wontumi in Tamale whereas John Kumah moved from Accra to Tamale.
“We returned from the campaign and were to move from Tamale and go to Walewale and move to the North East. But that night, there was a delay with the campaign team because of politics. So we had to come back to Tamale to sleep there.
“Originally, sister Afia was to go with Chairman Wontumi but she couldn’t
I don’t know what came on me but I said no, I don’t think Chairman should go to Tamale alone. So I halted my work to go with him. I called Marfo to go with us and he told us he would get back in the evening
John Kumah came from Accra to Tamale. I met Chairman Wontumi at 4am at Asokwa. Marfo came late but we waited for him,” he recounted.
He revealed he had the urge to make some alterations to the rooms they stayed in and what they ate.
“When we got to Tamale, I don’t know what came over me. When we handling the reservation, I switched the room meant for me to Chairman and I made Marfo take Chairman’s room. And I slept in a room for Marfo.
“When it is time for food, I use my name and go for food and bring it to Chairman Wontumi. I take Chairman’s food for Marfo then I take Margo’s food.”
On October 22, 2023, he said they planned to leave Tamale but could not.
“We kept long during our rounds. The original plan was to leave Tamale and sleep at Walewale but we couldn’t.”
This unexpected event he said prevented them from making preparations ahead and had to resolve to the last minute decision taken.
Oheneba stated that he and one Marfo lodged at a different hotel while Chairman Wontumi and John Kumah slept in another, however, still in Tamale.
He narrated, “Because we were leaving, the hotel arrangement was not the best and they told us that Marfo and I should go sleep at Modern Hotel in Tamale so Chairman and John Kumah sleep Marial in Tamale but it were all at the same place.
“John Kumah came alone to meet us at Tamale. Chairman’s room number was 32 and John Kumah’s was 31.”
According to him, upon arrival, Chairman Wontumi and John Kumah were provided the meat of a Guinea fowl.
“When they got to the hotel, someone brought Guinea fowl meat. Only Chairman and John Kumah. It was killed so you can eat.”
He noted that due to the pressure during campaigns, politicians sometimes skip some meals.
“They had not eaten, so they ate it. Under normal circumstances, we all sit and eat together. But because we didn’t know that we would sleep, they couldn’t make enough preparation for us all to eat together. So the Akofem was just for Chairman and John Kumah.
That was when the issue started. They finished eating and went to bed,” he said.
Oheneba noted that on October 23, he woke up at dawn to see 15 missed calls from Chairman Wontumi. He then proceeded to his place to find out the issue after failing to reach him via phone.
“I woke up around 1 am check on what Chairman would wear. I had seen Chairman’s calls about 15 of them. I tried calling. I asked Marfo if he had gotten calls from Chairman. He saw 2 missed calls and tried reaching Chairman but no response. So I went to Chairman’s place.”
He noted that Chairman Wontumi is not one who delays in answering his door.
“I knocked for about 3 to 5 minutes before he came to open the door. When Chairman opened the door, he was just in boxers. You could tell he had crawled and opened the door. He had thrown up on his bed and the ground. He had vomited in the washroom.”
He then went to see John Kumah, who then told him “Chairman ate more of the meat because he was hungry.”
“I just ate a little. John Kumah told me this. So I have thrown up so it’s not like Chairman’s. I had not seen chairman like that ever on that October 23,” he said.
Oheneba said he reached out to a member of Dr Bawumia’s team who got some members of the Vice President’s medical team to assist.
“I called Kamar, he is part of Bawumia’s team. So he called someone. So a top doctor of Bawumia and two other nurses came.
Instantly, they placed about 7 drips of water on Chairman and injected him,” he said, adding that “I heard the doctor say they suspect food poisoning and so they are going to treat them on food poisoning.”
According to him, John Kumah felt he was okay and so he was not treated. “It was only Chairman who was treated. John Kumah’s reaction was not like Chairman’s,” he reiterated.
But it took the next day for John Kumah to call for assistance as he saw his condition worsen.
“So it was in the evening, around 11pm that he called saying we should allow his driver come to him that he is not well. But he had spoken to his doctor who told him the drugs to get. So we got the drugs
“The John Kumah that I know, from that day till he passed, I’ve never seen him as how he used to be, well and fit,” he added.
Deputy Finance Minister, Dr John Kumah, passed away on Thursday, March 7, 2024.
According to reports, he collapsed in his office and was swiftly transported to a hospital for medical treatment.
Subsequently, due to a decline in his condition, he was flown out of the country. Sources say he was flown back into the country to aid his recovery.
The cause of his death is currently unknown.