Controversy has erupted within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Upper West Region following the reported seizure of two pick-ups by former Interior Minister and former Member of Parliament for Nandom Constituency, Ambrose Dery.

The vehicles, which he had donated to the regional NPP in the lead-up to the 2024 elections, were assigned to the Youth and Women’s Wing and the Regional Treasurer under the direction of the late Chairman Kangberee.

Ambrose Dery is reported to have reclaimed the two vehicles after losing the Nandom parliamentary seat.

Baaba Waala provided a detailed sequence of events:

The vehicles were donated to the regional party, with one specifically assigned to the Youth and Women’s Wing. The other was given to the Regional Treasurer under Chairman Kangberee’s direction, and any regional officer or party member could request its use. As the general elections approached, Chairman Kangberee instructed Waala to take custody of the vehicle and release the ‘hardbody’ he was using. Waala picked up the vehicle from Hon. Ambrose Dery’s house after the former minister had used it for activities in his constituency.

This particular vehicle remained in Waala’s custody until December 9, 2024, two days after the general elections. On that day, a call from “Greg” informed Waala that Hon. Ambrose Dery wanted to see him. Waala, who was at a washing bay with the Regional Treasurer, went to Dery’s house with the Treasurer in another party vehicle.

At Ambrose house, the former Minister requested the vehicle, stating he had heard Waala claim it belonged to the party. Waala affirmed this understanding, arguing that a donation to the party makes it party property. Ambrose disagreed and instructed his driver to retrieve the spare key and documents. He then asked his bodyguard and driver to accompany Waala to pick up the vehicle. However, Waala and the Treasurer decided they needed to inform Chairman White first.

They all drove to Chairman White’s residence and explained the situation. Chairman White stated he had no issue with the retrieval but insisted they would need to call the press and other party members to witness the handover, just as the vehicle was publicly given to them. Dery’s driver, upon relaying this to him, was instructed by Dery to return with the bodyguard.

Following this, there was no further communication from Hon. Ambrose Dery until Waala and other regional executives were invited to the Police Station. There, Dery’s brother, Martin, had lodged a complaint, alleging that the regional executives had stolen “their” vehicle, which was in Waala’s custody.

Waala stated that they did not know Martin but explained that Hon. Ambrose Dery had donated the vehicle to them, and its particulars matched the one Martin claimed was stolen. The police requested that the vehicle be brought to the station. Chairman White, however, insisted on informing the National party, as the vehicle belonged to them, and they needed to be aware of the situation.

The National party then requested that the vehicle be brought to the headquarters for discussions with Ambrose Dery, who reportedly refused multiple invitations to attend.

At the last National Council meeting, the vehicle was released back to the Upper West Region. However, after further discussions with some National Executives and senior party members, including Hon. Nitiwul, it was agreed that the vehicle should be returned to Ambrose Dery if he maintained he did not donate it to the party.

Waala left Accra the following day, but Chairman White asked Hamid, the Youth Organizer, to take the vehicle from the 3rd Vice National Chairman and send it to Ambrose Dery. This marks the conclusion of the saga regarding that particular vehicle.

Waala also lamented that these incidents cost the region two additional vehicles that were promised from the campaign office. The region was initially to receive four vehicles but only received two, with the explanation that the other two would follow later. However, when they followed up, they were told the region already had four vehicles because Hon. Ambrose had brought two, which the national office had instructed to be brought to the region.

Waala confirmed witnessing Hon. Ambrose Dery receiving commendations for donating vehicles to them in Accra from Hon. Nitiwul and also from H.E. Nana Addo in Wa at the Residency.

Seizure of the Youth and Women’s Wing Vehicle:

Waala further narrated how the vehicle assigned to the regional Youth and Women’s Wing was also seized. He recalled telling Commander Hamid Mohammed Saana that it would be difficult to use a pick-up with women, predicting its seizure. While the pick-up was in his possession, they undertook a regional tour, with Waala driving one vehicle and Ambrose Dery’s suggested driver handling the other.

Upon their return, they were asked to release the vehicle to the women’s organizer. It had some “pebble marks” on the screen from the tour, and the women’s organizer reportedly asked if Waala had reported it to Martin Dery. Waala stated he “just walked away silently,” expressing confusion as to why he would report pebble marks to the Minister’s brother who held no party executive or appointee role.

In summary, the car was later used by “Waala guys” because the Nadowli-Kaleo youth organizer, Salam Mwinibalonno, also used it, leading to its complete seizure from the wing. Waala stated they remained silent to maintain decency in the political space, despite feeling bitter about what he perceived as “tribal bigotry” and being “belittled because of some nonsense of a pickup.” He proudly mentioned his family’s history with cars, dismissing the notion that a car was something to boast about to him.

He clarified that the youth wing now has no car, and the one he had an accident with (involving the late ET Mensah) was borrowed from the National party for campaign operations.

He concluded by criticizing the situation, stating that the region received only two cars instead of the promised four due to these “invisible donated cars,” and lamented the “cruelty from a 7 uninterrupted years cabinet minister” whose donation was subsequently seized.