Deputy Director-General of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), Alexander Twum-Barimah, has urged the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to focus not only on disciplinary proceedings against former presidential aspirant Kennedy Ohene Agyapong but also on the substance of the concerns he has raised about the party.
Speaking on the controversy surrounding the NPP’s decision to refer Mr. Agyapong to its National Disciplinary Committee, Mr. Twum-Barimah said the party has every right to invoke its internal disciplinary procedures if it believes a member has breached its rules. He noted that political parties are governed by constitutions and codes of conduct, and enforcing those rules is a normal part of party administration.
According to him, there is nothing unusual about referring a member to a disciplinary committee, pointing out that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has also subjected some of its members to similar processes in the past. He stressed that if the NPP believes Kennedy Agyapong has violated the party’s regulations, it is entitled to investigate the matter.
However, Mr. Twum-Barimah argued that the disciplinary process should not overshadow the issues raised by the former Assin Central Member of Parliament. He said the party must objectively assess whether Mr. Agyapong’s allegations and criticisms are factual instead of concentrating solely on his conduct.
He observed that some of the concerns raised by Mr. Agyapong, particularly regarding uncompleted government projects, deserve serious attention. Questioning the previous administration’s record, Mr. Twum-Barimah asked why several projects initiated under the NPP remained unfinished after eight years in office and are now expected to be completed by the current government.
He maintained that addressing the underlying concerns would better serve the party than focusing exclusively on disciplinary action. According to him, confronting legitimate criticisms and promoting accountability would strengthen the NPP’s credibility as it seeks to rebuild public confidence.
Mr. Twum-Barimah’s comments come after the NPP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and National Council referred petitions against Kennedy Agyapong to the party’s National Disciplinary Committee over recent public comments considered detrimental to party unity and cohesion. The committee has been given two weeks to investigate the petitions and present its recommendations to the party’s leadership.
Story by Freedom Etsey Lavoe