The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, has hit back at critics following his comment about Josephine Simons who went missing last week in Takoradi and was found under mysterious circumstances on Tuesday.
The minister said he has not committed any crime for putting the information out since issues of kidnapping have been rampant in the region.
“I didn’t rush in putting out any information. You can all bear with me that this region has been branded as the land of kidnapping and it’s a disgrace so when we heard of this issue being fake I had to put out the information for the public to know.
“If you are trying to solve a problem and later realized that the issue is fake, you have to put it out to the public and that is exactly what I did.
“What crime have I committed? I made reference to the doctor at Axim and all of sudden, people think they have gotten some meat to chew and they won’t even listen and are just talking anyhow and disgracing our region and myself,” he fumed.
He told Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen Show on Thursday that such issues are not about emotions but facts and that is exactly what he has provided the public.
He asked Ghanaians to be careful about how they talk about officials when such issues are put to the public.
He added that he did not provide the information because he wanted to disgrace the family but rather to take the fear out of people who may be travelling to the region.
Asked what he makes of the reactions from the family of Josephine Panyin Mensah, the Minister said it’s either they are in shock or are just refusing to admit the truth.
“It’s normal, the fact that you don’t believe an issue doesn’t make it false. Facts are facts so why are they cooking stories to the public. If they have data, they should bring it to prove otherwise because we won’t allow one person to disgrace our region,” he said.
The Police Service, in a statement signed by its Director of Public Affairs, Assistant Commissioner of Police Kwesi Ofori, has confirmed earlier reports by the Western Regional Minister, Okyere Darko Mensah.
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