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The Chairman of the 2012 Presidential Campaign Finance Team of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Ken Ofori Atta, has stated  that  he is personally liable for the loan of   GH¢1.5 million  contracted from Prudential Bank  for the 2012 presidential campaign.

The money, Mr Ofori-Atta said, was taken to complement resources the finance team had raised to support the operations of the party's polling station agents during the elections.

According to a  press release signed by him, although the loan was acquired to finance the party’s 2012 campaign, he as “chairman of the 2012 Presidential Campaign Finance Team contracted and guaranteed for purposes of the elections” and this has nothing to do with the party. 

It, therefore,  indicated that the demand notice from Prudential Bank for  the payment of the money by the NPP was leaked to create mischief.

According to the release, the loan was a purely private business transaction and that the NPP played no part in contracting it. 

The demand notice from the Prudential Bank, dated  April 21 2015, said  the loan of GH¢1.5 million and the interest accruing had now amounted to GH¢2,290,631.36 and  that the   “chairman of the 2012 Presidential Campaign Finance Team contracted and guaranteed the loan  for purposes of the 2012 presidential election. 

The demand notice by Prudential Bank to the chairman and director of NPP Election 2012 Fundraising Committee had  requested the party to pay GH¢1.5 million not later than April 30, this year.

The notice said  the overdrawn balance on the  loan of GHc1.5 million had now amounted to GHc2,290,631.36.

Mr Ofori-Atta said  it was wrong for the bank to write a demand notice to the National Chairman of the NPP requesting the repayment of the loan.

“I am personally liable for any obligation that arises from this transaction and not in any way the New Patriotic Party,” he said.

He  said even though the leadership of the party at the time was fully aware of the loan and was grateful, the party as an entity should not be dragged into the matter.

He, therefore, urged supporters of the party and the entire public to disregard the “mischief that the leakage of this letter and those behind it seek to create”. 

“Our party has always been proud to fund itself by contributions and sacrifices of its members. This loan was guaranteed privately and the party therefore is not directly liable for it,” he added.