By Perdita AGYARKO
Prosper Agbenyega, News Editor for Current Issues, has condemned what he describes as “reckless and deeply unfortunate” comments made by the Member of Parliament for Asante-Akim South, Mr. Kwaku Asante-Boateng, calling on the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to take firm disciplinary action against him.
In an exclusive interview, Mr. Agbenyega criticized the MP’s alleged remarks referring to Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as a “slave” within the NPP — comments which, he said, “strike at the heart of national cohesion and party unity.”
“Whether spoken in jest or taken out of context, such remarks are unbecoming of a legislator and risk inflaming tribal tensions at a time when Ghana’s democracy demands unity, discipline, and responsible leadership,” Mr. Agbenyega stated.
He acknowledged that Mr. Asante-Boateng has since sought to clarify his statements, claiming they were misrepresented and not meant to attack Dr. Bawumia’s ethnicity or person, but insisted that “the damage has already been done.”
According to Mr. Agbenyega, public officials must understand the weight of their words, which can “either build bridges or deepen divisions.”
He commended the NPP leadership for moving swiftly to distance the party from the controversy, citing a statement signed by the General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, reaffirming the party’s commitment to “freedom, justice, equality, and inclusivity.”
However, he stressed that the party must “go further” by holding the MP accountable.
“Referring to a sitting Vice President — who has served faithfully for nearly a decade and risen through the ranks of the party — as a ‘stranger’ or ‘outsider’ betrays a mindset that runs counter to the NPP’s national appeal,” he wrote.
Mr. Agbenyega warned that such rhetoric not only disrespects Dr. Bawumia, the NPP’s presidential candidate, but also alienates Northern Ghanaians who view him as a symbol of inclusion and national progress.
“It feeds into the false narrative that some parts of the country are more entitled to leadership than others — a notion that has no place in modern Ghanaian politics,” he added.
He urged the NPP to uphold its standards of discipline by calling the MP to order and demanding a full apology.
“Mr. Asante-Boateng owes not just Dr. Bawumia, but the entire nation, an unqualified apology,” Mr. Agbenyega asserted. “His clarifications ring hollow without contrition. Ghana’s democracy cannot afford to be held hostage by reckless talk and careless tongues.”
Concluding his statement, Mr. Agbenyega emphasized that Ghana’s politics must focus on ideas, not identities.
“Our politics should be about competence, not complexion; loyalty, not lineage. The NPP must lead by example — and that begins with calling out one of its own when he falls short of the principles it proudly claims to uphold,” he said.
“Leadership demands responsibility — and it’s time Mr. Kwaku Asante-Boateng learned that lesson.”
