Osei-Mensah denies neglect of Presidential Villa, blames financial constraints

Former Ashanti Regional Minister Simon Osei-Mensah has denied allegations of deliberately neglecting the Presidential Villa and the Regional Minister’s Bungalow at the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council (ARCC).

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) had accused Osei-Mensah of abandoning the properties during his eight-year tenure, leaving the Presidential Villa and official residence overrun with weeds and infested with reptiles. The NDC vowed to investigate the matter and hold those responsible accountable.

In a press release dated Monday, January 13, Osei-Mensah outlined the challenges he inherited upon taking office on February 22, 2017.

He cited a GH¢1.5 million debt overhang, broken-down vehicles, outdated office equipment, a deteriorating administration block, and inadequate staff housing as key issues.

To manage the debt, Osei-Mensah said he personally funded the ARCC’s operations for over six months until the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) was released. He implemented strict expenditure controls and claimed the ARCC was debt-free by the end of his tenure on January 6, 2025.

Addressing the state of official vehicles, Osei-Mensah revealed he used his personal land cruiser for months as most vehicles were either broken down or lacked fuel.

He clarified that a damaged Toyota pickup seen in a recent video had been involved in a 2014 accident, prior to his tenure.

Osei-Mensah highlighted efforts to modernize the ARCC, including replacing obsolete office equipment with items such as air conditioners, laptops, desktops, refrigerators, and office furniture.

He also explained steps taken to repair the administration block, using the ARCC budget to fund renovations and securing central government support for a six-story building project, which is currently under construction. For the residency buildings, he used personal funds for minor repairs and sought government assistance, though only partial funding was received.

Osei-Mensah refuted claims of neglect, stating, “Neither the ARCC nor I would intentionally allow state assets to deteriorate.” He attributed the challenges to financial constraints beyond the ARCC’s control and reiterated his commitment to resolving these issues during his time in office.