, Danquah Smith Butey, has dismissed reports suggesting that Kwame Baffoe Abronye, the party’s Bono Regional Chairman, disrespected former President John Agyekum Kufuor during a recent National Council meeting.){kind=link}
The Acting National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Danquah Smith Butey, has dismissed reports suggesting that Kwame Baffoe Abronye, the party’s Bono Regional Chairman, disrespected former President John Agyekum Kufuor during a recent National Council meeting.
The clarification follows allegations made by former Health Minister Dr. Richard Anane, who claimed in a media interview that Abronye had behaved disrespectfully toward the former President during the said meeting.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem programme, Chairman Butey described the allegation as false and misleading, insisting that Dr. Anane’s account was inaccurate since he was not present at the meeting.
“It wasn’t that Abronye disrespected President Kufuor,” Mr. Butey clarified. “What happened was an in-house discussion on a proposal made by the former President. It is unfortunate that Dr. Anane, who was not there, has taken it out of context.”
According to the Acting Chairman, former President Kufuor had offered advice to the party’s leadership during the meeting, after which members were invited to share their views. However, when discussions became heated, he intervened to restore order.
“After three people had spoken, I realised the discussion was becoming unnecessarily heated, so I stopped it and informed President Kufuor that his advice had been taken in good faith and that the party would deliberate and revert,” he explained.
Mr. Butey acknowledged that while Abronye had digressed during his contribution, he did not show any form of disrespect toward the former President.
“Abronye consistently referred to President Kufuor as his in-law throughout his submission, which showed respect. He wouldn’t dare insult President Kufuor; I wouldn’t have tolerated it. He was respectful throughout,” he emphasised.
Chairman Butey urged party members and the public to refrain from spreading misinformation that could tarnish the image of the NPP or create unnecessary tension within the party.
“If Abronye had insulted President Kufuor, the consequences would not have been pleasant,” he cautioned.