Under fire Minister returns Dr. Bawumia’s 50,000 election money after party executives chased him

The Deputy Minister of Arts, Tourism, and Culture also an aspiring parliamentary candidate in Ayensuano constituency, Mark Okraku Mantey, has returned Ghc50,000 intended for election “operations” after being pursued by angry party executives.

The crux of the matter revolves around the fiscal transactions of Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s campaign team within Ayensuano constituency.

Initially, the team disbursed Ghc400 to each of the 669 delegates, amassing a substantial sum of Ghc267,600.

In addition to this, a conspicuous Ghc50,000 was availed to the constituency on Friday, November 3, 2023, just a day before the pivotal Presidential Primaries, with the express purpose of being allocated for “operations.”

The release of this “operations cash” triggered a vehement outcry among party executives and delegates.

Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Mark Okraku Mantey, found himself at the center of the controversy, alongside the constituency’s first Vice Chairman, Asare Dankwah, as both were accused of attempting to appropriate the funds for personal use, rather than distributing them as intended.

Party executives expressed their discontentment, assigning responsibility to those tasked with managing Dr. Bawumia’s campaign in Ayensuano.

Deputy Minister Mark Okraku Mantey on Monday November 6,2023 chose to return the funds, influenced by the need to safeguard his personal reputation and prevent any tarnish to his image.

In his communication with party executives, he clarified that the money was designated for campaign operations, not for distribution to party officials. He underscored that he had personally absorbed the costs incurred during the election.

To quell the confusion surrounding the operation cash, he made the decision to return the funds. He emphasized his desire to prevent any harm to his reputation and clarified that anyone seeking a share should contact the regional office.