Campaign Coordinator of Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, Sammi Awuku has said the payment of Ghs400 to delegates was not to influence their votes.
In an appearance on JoyNews The Probe, Awuku revealed that whatever amount the campaign team of the Vice President gave during the Primaries was justified as political campaigns are expensive.
“I can speak for both of them (Kennedy Agyapong and Bawumia) on the sharing of money… When they were buying forms to contest, they had to prove resourcefulness…. If you bring people from all over the place to one location, you have to help them with transport and feeding”
He added that most of the time the funds did not come from the candidates directly.
“In Akwapem North, a brother from Chicago took up the cost of almost Ghs70,000 for the delegates. And in many other places. But we placed a cap on how much anyone person can contribute…” He explained.
Sammi Awuku vehemently denied that the Ghs400 per delegate was meant to influence delegates.
Earlier on Saturday, some NPP members revealed that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is sharing Ghc 400 as transportation and his main contender, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong is also dolling out Ghc 300 to each delegate.
The remaining aspirants, former Agric Minister, Owusu Afriyie-Akoto and Francis Adai-Nimoh have so far not been recorded to be sharing any monies to delegates.
Meagre Ghs400
In one case, a delegate, who introduced himself as Sir Collins, expressed intense frustration and disappointment in Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and his team. This dissatisfaction stems from the alleged offer of what Collins described as a ‘paltry’ GH¢400 to the delegates.
In an interview with GHOne TV, Collins expressed his strong dissatisfaction, describing it as an insult, that Dr. Bawumia, who aspires to be the party’s flagbearer, offered delegates a meager GH¢400 each. Collins pointed out the disparity in resources and support, questioning why another contender, Kennedy Agyapong, who reportedly has less support from government appointees and the party’s rank and file, offered GH¢300.
A livid Collins argued that the GH¢100 difference between Bawumia and Agyapong’s offers is unacceptable, and the vice president should have offered a significantly higher amount.