The Member of Parliament for Sekondi, Lawyer Andrew Egyapa Mercer, who also doubles as Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, has debunked claims of corruption against him by his contender on the NDC ticket, Blay Armah Nyameke.
Speaking on Takoradi-based Empire FM and Radio 360′ s current affairs morning programme hosted by Kwame Malcolm, Lawyer Andrew Egyapa Mercer, threw a challenge to his opponent to offer a clean contest .
” … I have been MP, and before being MP I owned a law firm with 5 employed lawyers who are in active practise. Is he (Blay Nyameke) saying I cannot afford a 50th birthday party? I was born in Sekondi and my uncle, “K.K ” took care of us and it is by dint of grace that I have come this far so if he (Blay Nyameke) wants us to go dirty, we can all get abrasive but that is not what will develop Sekondi”, he quipped.
The Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture also said in spite of his numerous projects he has delivered for Sekondi as MP, he believes the onus lies on the constituents to decide who will lead the constituency in the upcoming December 7 , 2024 polls.
Speaking on the over 30-year-old abandoned Centre for National Culture (CNC) building in Fijai, Sekondi, he assured of its completion before his tenure.
“I have extensively deliberated on the extent of work to be executed to complete the CNC. Madam Eva Mends an indigene of Western Region and a Director at the Ministry of Finance has assured of the needed finances to complete the project, don’t forget she was key, with the likes of Hon Joe Ghartey to seal the redevelopment of Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital into a teaching hospital.”
“It is obvious the assurances from the finance ministry will materialize as I have all the estimates and with only a correspondence left to firm it. I am confident this will be a project that I can deliver for my 6 month tenure as Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture”, he emphasized.
The Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture was also optimistic of the Energy Minister, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh ( Napo), being affirmed as the running mate of the NPP flagbearer. He diffused notions that Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh is arrogant.
“I have worked as a deputy minister under him (Dr Opoku Prempeh), he is always standing and working in his office. You can hardly procrastinate with your work when you work with him. He definitely will move numbers for the NPP and I am praying that he will be the one to be affirmed as we all may have different perceptions of people. I can confirm, Napo is overly generous and the perceptions about him is a defensive mechanism to steel himself from the heavy public bashing that public figures often take”, the former deputy energy minister underscored.
