The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Mr James Agyenim Boateng has taken a swipe at the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) on their ploy to impugn the integrity of the President John Evans Atta Mills without any basis. He said the position taken by the NPP on the supposed mansion being put up by President Mills at his private house on the Spintex road is a deliberate attempt to discredit the president ahead of the 2012 general elections. The Deputy Tourism Minister was reacting to the controversy which has arisen after the presidency responded to a publication by The Daily Searchlight newspaper, on Monday August 15th, published on its front-page with the headline; “Manifesting The Better Ghana…Mills Grabs Brand New Mansion! In the story the newspaper alleged that, President Mills is putting up a mansion with several rooms on a piece of land behind his residence in the Platinum section of the Regimanuel, Asanfra Street. Director of Communications at the Presidency, Koku Anyidoho in an interview on Adom FM debunked the Searchlight story and explained that the uncompleted building which is to provide a decent accommodation to the security personnel on guard at the president’s private residence was a token of appreciation from Regimanuel Grey Estate Limited to President Mills. Koku Anyidoho on Tuesday August 16, 2011 led the Presidential Press Corps to tour the facility for firsthand information and stated emphatically that the building is not a cost to the tax payer because Regimanuel Grey Limited would bear the initial cost and per the tenancy agreement President Mills would make the appropriate payments. Also, a director of Regimanuel Grey Limited, Regina Botwe, in an interview with Joy FM indicated that the three-bedroom residential quarters under construction is in fulfillment of the President’s request for a decent accommodation for his security detail. Regina Botwe added that President Mills’ request to house his security personnel was on rental basis, hence Regimanuel has no plans to handover the house to the President as a gift. Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Tuesday, James Agyenim Boateng noted that the humility, honesty and integrity of President Mills remains incorruptible without doubt. He said the NPP cannot capitalize on the ‘Regimanuel mansion saga’ to dent the image of the President because facts would make the story crumble. James Agyenim Boateng explained that the house which would be built on a foundation with a land size of just 27 feet by 70 is to provide the security personnel in the president’s private home with toilets, bath houses and a bedroom and a place for relaxation. The Deputy Tourism Minister was amazed at the NPP‘s position about the issues when, according to him, there are letters from President Mills and the estate developers on how the agreement was reached. He observed that the opposition NPP are just being mischievous and want to score cheap political capital out of it. James Agyenim Boateng stated that President Mills is above reproach and would not be perturbed about such trivialities. He urged the NPP to do the necessary background check on the issue rather than condemning the presidency without any prove. Meanwhile, Emmanuel Kwabena Agyarko the NPP parliamentary aspirant for Ayawaso West Woguon who was a panelist on the programme disagreed with James. He argued that the Director of Communications made the issue muddier by the contradictions in his statements. Former Chief Executive Officer of the Food and Drugs Board Kwabena Agyarko questioned why the NDC would shiver and quiver to react to the issue if they consider it as a ploy by the NPP.