The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, will soon be hauled before the party’s Disciplinary Committee (DC) to explain his recent comments about the credibility of the opposition party’s national executives.

The process of getting Mr Agyapong to explain his claim that all the national executives were “thieves” has been slowed down by bureaucratic bottlenecks and procedures, with the DC maintaining that they could only address the issue if it was referred to it by the National Executive Committee (NEC).

Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, National Chairman, who made the disclosure on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show on Monday January 6, 2014, said the NEC would debate the matter at its next meeting set for Tuesday January 7, after which they would refer it back to the Disciplinary Committee.

The Assin Central MP has on various platforms accused the current national executives of stealing motorbikes and other supplies he imported into the country to support the NPP’s 2012 campaign, and has dared the executives to show how they distributed the items.

In making his claim, he singled out Brian Acheampong, loosely described as Chief of Staff to the national chairman, as leading the stealing charge, although he insists the other executives participated in the looting.

He has therefore urged party members to vote against any incumbent national officer seeking re-election, describing them as “thieves” who derailed Nana Akufo-Addo’s presidential bid.

However, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, National Chairman since 2010, has hit back strongly at the allegation, and dared Mr Agyapong to prove he or his executives are thieves.

“I have not stolen before. I have never been called a thief until recently, and I strongly resent being called a thief,” Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey insisted.

“For over 25 years I was spending monies on behalf of some of the major companies in this country, Unilever, Kumasi Brewery, Guinness etc. So many of the major companies trusted me to spend their money. In all those years nobody ever accused me of misspending their money or taking it for myself. I came out of spending other people’s money with an unblemished reputation.

“I have been regional chairman for three terms, and national chairman as well, and nobody has accused of stealing funds.

 “I was appalled (when I heard the accusation).  I was saddened. I was part of the people that (NDC General Secretary) Asiedu called thieves (in the run up to the NPP’s 2007 presidential primary) but I thought he was just finding a way to get to the party. But for a party member to go out there and accuse his national chairman and national executives of being thieves, I felt very saddened.

 “I have never received a penny from Kennedy for either a personal thing or for the party.

“I have been national chairman for the past four years, and I have never had Kennedy Agyapong bring me anything, either for a personal thing or for the party. I have not received any motorbikes or anything from Kennedy Agyapong

“The only money I know of is the monthly deductions that MPs make to help run the party."