President John Mahama has with immediate effect withdrawn the appointment of Ashanti Regional Minister, Samuel K. Sarpong, and his Deputy, Joseph Yammin.

Joseph Yamin

A statement signed by Minister for Communications Dr. Edward OmaneBoamah says, Brong Ahafo Regional Minister Eric Opoku will act as Ashanti  Regional Minister until a substantive Minister is appointed.

Reasons for the President's decision remains unknown , however, sources say it may have been fuelled by a deterioration of relations between the Minister and his Deputy.

In January, there were reports that the relationship between Mr. Sarpong and his Deputy, Joseph Yarmin, the Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly Kojo Bonsu and the Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Yaw Owusu Obimpeh, had deteriorated.

Mr Samuel Sarpong, however denied there is a rift between him and some of party officials and appointees in the region.

On Tuesday, a group of persons owing allegiance to the Minister allegedly went to the regional office to close down the party’s offices in the region.

The deputy Ashanti Regional Secretary of the NDC Brogya Gyamfi who spoke to the various media houses about the incident blamed the Regional Minister for the incident.

There have also been several calls for the regional Minister to be dismissed.

A group calling itself the National Democratic Congress(NDC) Zongo Youth of Ashanti last month called on President Mahama to sack the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Samuel Sarpong.

The group said the continuous stay of the Minister in office will jeopardize the NDC’s chances of winning the 2016 elections in the region.

Convener of the group, Abass Nurudeen earlier told Citi News the Minister, among others, has developed a bad working relationship with party executives in the region, hence their call.

Some of the traders in Kumasi in the Ashanti Regional capital have on different occasions also demonstrated against the Minister and the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly over issues surrounding their burnt markets.