Why I don’t want a ministerial post – Kennedy Agyapong

The Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Mr Kennedy Ohene Agyapong has denied being offered a ministerial appointment, which he rejected.

Mr Kwesi Nyantakyi, who has resigned his position as President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) during his interaction with undercover journalists in the Anas Number12 documentary, which exposed corruption in football alleged that President Akufo-Addo offered the vociferous MP a ministerial position but he rejected it.

Mr Nyantakyi’s explanation was that Mr Agyapong had said he was not someone who could be a minister because of his demeanour and therefore opted for his friend Kweku Ofori Asiamah to work on his behalf as the Minister of Transport. 

Responding to the allegation in a radio interview with Asempa FM Friday afternoon, Mr Agyapong said “from day one, from the time of [former] President [John] Kufuor, I have never been interested in a ministerial position. I’m a business man and I don’t want the situation where when I order for my better vehicle, Bentley, I’d be told I cannot use it as a minister.”

He said when the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Bernard Antwi Boasiako [Wontumi] for instance recently bought a new [sports] car, he was told by some people that he cannot use it because he was a party chairman, because people may accuse him of buying the vehicle with proceeds from corruption.

To Mr Agyapong, that was why he was not interested in a ministerial position.

“Life is short, I want to live comfortably because of my background as a hustler [I want to be able to enjoy my riches]… it has been my position [not interested in ministerial position] for a long time so the President never offered me any appointment. Before we won the elections, the President asked me several times, are you sure Kenny, you don’t want anything and I said I was sure. So the president was sure when he was making his appointment that I don’t want any position," he said.

He insisted the Transport Minister, Mr Asiamah was competent and got the position on his own merit.

However, he said there would have been nothing wrong if the President had offered Asiamah that position because of him [Agyapong].