The MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, has vowed to continue speaking truth to power even if that will lead to his death.
“I believe that one day, one day, I’m going to die. So, any form of death is death,” the outspoken lawmaker told Kojo Mensah on Asaase Radio’s Sunday Night. “So I will not let any individual intimidate me because he has the power to control everything. No, I’m not scared.”
Agyapong made this pledge as he answered a question about the numerous threats he has faced because of his assertiveness.
“Any time … if it happens … why not? But of course, you also have to be careful … There are certain things that you can avoid, I will avoid that,” he said.
From his beginnings in a non-political family to a successful politician and business magnate, Agyapong noted that his preference has always been business.
A savvy entrepreneur, he believes there is nothing wrong with a businessman taking advantage of the opportunities politics brings to make money.
“I have worked hard for several years. But politics also gives influence and if you are a smart businessman you can also take advantage of that because it opens doors,” he said.
“I don’t bribe or nothing, but it opens doors and I take advantage of the opportunities that unveil [themselves] through politics and make money out of it in terms of business,” Agyapong added.
Navigating life’s challenges
Like any successful businessman, Agyapong encountered several challenges from the day he conceived the idea of being an entrepreneur and creator of jobs for the large numbers of unemployed Ghanaian youth.
Surprisingly, however, he has never considered any of these challenges as a make-or-break moment. This is because he has always prepared and “psyched myself that, whatever the situation is, I will bravely storm it”.
“So, I am not really scared about anything and nothing has broken me down yet,” he said.
Man of integrity
Agyapong, who touched on a litany of issues, ranging from family to politics and business during the hour-long interview, described himself as “a man of integrity, a man who says it as it is. That’s it.”
It is this, he said, that has led to him sometimes being labelled as haughty or arrogant.
“… anybody who stands for the truth, some will perceive you to be very harsh, some will say you are cool or quiet. So, it depends on the person that you are dealing with.
“And of course, anybody that you criticise will definitely see you as a harsh person and anybody that the criticism goes in favour of will also say you are a nice person,” the politician said.
“So, you can’t satisfy everybody but I say it as it is,” he added.
Watch the full interview below:
* Asaase Radio 99.5 – tune in or log on to broadcasts online.
Follow us on Twitter: @asaaseradio995
#asaaseradio #TVOL
