Political activist, physician, and former New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential aspirant, Dr Arthur Kennedy, has described as “unwarranted” the petitions filed against former Assin Central MP, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, which have resulted in his referral to the party’s National Disciplinary Committee.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile, Dr. Kennedy argued that the former presidential aspirant’s comments regarding the stalled Afari Military Hospital project and alleged corruption within the party did not constitute a breach of the NPP constitution.
“These petitions and therefore the resulting processes that Honourable Kennedy Agyapong is about to be subjected to are unwarranted. Listening to Kennedy Agyapong’s initial comments about the Afari hospital and even his subsequent explanations after he received criticism, I am at a loss to see how those statements amount to infringements of the party’s constitution,” he said,” Dr. Kennedy stated.
According to him, Mr. Agyapong merely highlighted concerns that many Ghanaians and party members have openly expressed regarding the failure of the Akufo-Addo administration to complete and operationalise the Afari Military Hospital despite having eight years in office.
Dr. Kennedy noted that several committees established by the NPP following its 2024 electoral defeat, including the Michael Oquaye Committee and the Oti Boateng Committee in the Ashanti Region, had reached conclusions that echoed concerns raised by Mr. Agyapong.
He maintained that the former Assin Central MP’s assertion that the party’s current criticism of government restrictions on access to the Afari Military Hospital appeared hypocritical was a legitimate observation.
“The NPP inherited a partially completed Afari hospital and had eight years to complete it. It is not as if healthcare was not a priority. The government launched Agenda 111 because it recognised the need to strengthen healthcare infrastructure. Therefore, for such an important project in a region that is critical to the party, not to be completed after eight years was a failure,” he argued.
Dr. Kennedy further referenced Mr. Agyapong’s claim that while serving as Chairman of Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, attempts to inspect the facility were allegedly blocked by the then NPP government, similar to complaints currently being made against the NDC administration.
“If what Kennedy Agyapong is saying is factual, then proof itself becomes a defence. It is difficult to see how stating facts can become an offence,” he added.
The former presidential aspirant also expressed concern about what he described as the party leadership’s response to growing internal criticism. “Our politics has changed, but respectfully, those running the party seem unwilling to acknowledge that reality,” he said.
Dr. Kennedy stressed that Mr. Agyapong enjoys significant support within the party and among the Ghanaian public, and argued that allegations of corruption relating to the implementation of Agenda 111 deserved serious investigation rather than disciplinary action against the whistleblower.
“He has alleged that Agenda 111 was undermined by corruption and that contracts were sold. If such allegations are being made, the people who should be answering questions are those who may have been involved in those activities,” he stated.
He suggested that the disciplinary process should focus on uncovering the truth behind the allegations rather than punishing those raising concerns.
“One would think that such accountability would put the party in a stronger position. It would show that the NPP is more interested in confronting wrongdoing than silencing people who are speaking uncomfortable truths.”
His remarks come after the NPP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and National Council referred Mr. Agyapong to the National Disciplinary Committee following petitions over recent public comments considered detrimental to party unity and cohesion.
The petitions stem from statements in which Mr. Agyapong criticised certain decisions taken by the NPP while in government, including the failure to operationalise the Afari Military Hospital. He also sparked controversy by warning that he could “spill the beans” on alleged wrongdoing within the party if efforts were made to silence him.
The National Disciplinary Committee has been given two weeks to investigate the petitions and submit its recommendations to the party leadership.
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