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A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Communication Team, Edmund Kyei has slammed Afrifa Yamoah Ponkoh for some comments he passed about the ruling government and the overlord of the Ashanti Kingdom, Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

According to him, Yamoah Ponkoh’s attempt to link the ruling party to the money-laundering claims against the monarch after £350,000 was physically transferred into a UK account is “unfortunate”.

He described the NDC Guru as a “divisive” person and a “nation wrecker” saying “Yamoah Ponkoh is speaking from electoral defeat slumber. It is 2017 and the NPP is moving Ghana forward on track. He should wake up and wash his face from sleeping”. 

The UK’s Telegraph and Daily Mail reported the revelations in an ongoing tribunal after the bank official, Mark Frank Arthur, who carried the money in a taxi to deposit at the Ghana Commercial Bank in London was fired for flouting anti-money laundering regulations.

In Ghana, the subject has triggered reactions somewhat subdued in certain quarters where the king is held in high esteem.

But there has been no official reaction from the Manhyia Palace, but Herbert Mensah who has an enduring friendship with the king has explained there is “nothing peculiar” to the story and maintained it is “untrue”.

Yamoah Ponkoh was however quoted to have said on Kumasi-based radio station that some members of the NPP bent on destroying Otumfuo – “The NPP is behind the money-laundering claims”.

In an interview with Peacefmonline.com, Edmund Kyei who is also the Communications Director of the Asokwa NPP branch said “We don’t need Yamoah Ponkoh with such divisive mindset to cause distraction in the NPP. We are focused on delivering on our promise to the good people of Ghana.”

He noted that, “The NPP from the days of the formation of our tradition have deep respect and pay the needed allegiance to our chieftaincy system in Ghana and in no way thread on any path that will bring the reputation and integrity of the Asantehene down.”

“The Asantehene, Otumfuo and Nananom have been great partners and collaborators of development to our cause from the days of our party formation. The NPP will forever remain resolute in supporting the Asantehene and Nananom to grow policies and programs that will bring development to the people.”

“One of our key strength as Ghanaians is Unity and togetherness. Any person or leader such as Yamoah Ponkoh that promotes divisiveness and incite one party against each other should be ignored”, he advised.