The Independent newspaper says that the Executive Chairman of the National School Feeding Programme, Dr. Amoako Tuffuor and the Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, Hon. Steven Asamoah Boateng have engaged in a war of words on a Kumasi radio.

According to the paper, the two NPP bigwigs endlessly tongue¬-lashed each other on a morning show on Angel FM in Kumasi.

While Dr. Amoako Tuffour called Hon. Steven Asamoah Boateng a "taxi driver," and described him as a man "who looks confused, a non-entity and good for nothing person who impedes progress," Asamoah Boateng responded in equal measure, describing Dr. Amoako Tuffour as "a frustrated and a failed man, who is only running around the School Feeding Programme."

Dr. Amoako Tuffour lashed out that, Hon. Asamoah Boateng is uncultured and disrespectful and therefore does not deserve to be a Minister.

According to the paper, Dr. Amoako Tuffour was reacting to earlier remarks made by Hon. Asamoah on the radio station.


Dr. Tuffour accused the Minister of diverting into his private pocket ¢1.5 billion budgeted and supposed to go to the programme secretariat, and thereby thwarting the smooth running of the programme.

Fuming with rage, Dr. Tuffour said, Hon. Asamoah Boateng does not know his left from right, adding that, he is a domineering character whose specialty lies in throwing dust into the eyes of the public.

He also noted that the Local Government Minister has, on several occasions, tried but failed to write off his (Tuffour's) tireless effort of trying to make the School Feeding Programme a success.

Dr. Tuffour recalled that, he has ever had the occasion to calm down the cooks working for the programme who were very angry over issues of their delayed salaries. He said, he had to organise a press conference to assure them that salaries would be paid very soon.

Dr. Tuffour then explained in biting terms that, he was saddled with that responsibility simply because of the non-¬performing nature of Hon. Asamoah Boateng.

Hon. Asamoah Boateng also described .Dr. Tuffour as a non-tolerant, non-accommodating to the extent that he cannot work under anybody.

According to him, Dr. Tuffour is not a team player, hence the School Feeding Programme has been like a floating board, drifting from one ministry to the other. First it was under NEPAD, and then it is now under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment.

Hon. Boateng also accused Dr. Tuffour of taking decisions according to his personal whims and caprices and thereby overstretching the resources of the programme.

He explained that, instead of the proposed 889 schools the programme was intended to cover for this year, Dr. Amoako Tuffour has extended it to over 997, and explained that, it is one of the issues responsible for the difficulties in payments.

He then dropped a bombshell when he accused Dr. Tuffour of involving himself in chains of fraudulent deals, and promised that, he will soon expose him.

He then launched into a tirade, making claims to the effect that, the post of executive chairman that Dr. Tuffour has carved out for himself does not exist anywhere, yet he has placed it on himself and only goes about taking keen interest in being bossy and getting involved in altercations over issues concerning positions.

Vociferous Asamoah Boateng then pointed out that Dr. Tuffour is not a police man, watchman nor an auditor, and therefore does not have the right or professional competence to say funds released to his (Boateng's) ministry for the National School Feeding Programme will go down the drain.