Akyem Abuakwa Traditional council demands apology from NDC

The Akyem Abuakwa traditional council has demanded a direct, clear and unambiguous public apology from the leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to the Okyenhene Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori-Panin, for the unpleasant remarks made by Mr Kwame Zu, Ashanti Regional Secretary of the Party.

In addition, the Traditional council has demanded that a ritual pacification be performed by the NDC at the forecourt of the Ofori Panin palace, followed by a public apology by Mr Kwame Zu personally.

They also demanded that the NDC as a sign of respect should sanction Mr Kwame Zu for his conduct.

The Traditional council has also called on the party to fulfil all the demands within three days and failure to do so would result in a ban for the party and its executives from all official functions organised by the Ofori Panin Stool and shall “be declared persona non grata in all palaces of the over 940 towns, villages and settlements in Akyem Abuakwa”.

At a News conference organised by the traditional council at Kyebi, Mr Daniel Ofori-Atta State secretary who addressed the media stated that, the council “further decided that any chief who violates these orders, would have acted in aberration of his oral and written oath and will, in consequence, suffer a destoolment”.

According to the State Secretary, the Abuakwa traditional council took note of the loud silence of the leadership of the NDC and mentioned several instances from 2013, where members of the NDC denigrated the integrity of the Okyenhene and for that matter the Ofori Panin stool.

Mr Ofori Atta in the statement recalled that in 2013, the then Chief of staff, Mr Julius Debrah launched an unprovocative attack on the person of the Okyenhene after persuading then President Mahama to abide by the outcome of the 2012 election petition then before the supreme court.

He said in 2014, Mr Bismarck Tawiah Boateng, then Eastern Regional chairman of the NDC and Mr Haruna Apau took the Okyenhene to the cleaners when he drew government’s attention to the deteriorating road situation in the region followed by Mr Stan Dogbe, an aide to Former President Mahama.

Mr Kwame Zu on Monday, September 16 stated among other things that until the intervention by President Mahama with potable water in the traditional area, the Okyenhene and the people of Akyem Abuakwa were drinking from wells with animals.

During the protest march organized by Coalition for National Sovereignty in Kumasi, Mr Zu also added that but for former President Mahama, the people would not have had good drinking water.

Mr Ofori-Atta however placed on record that “Kyebi had pipe-borne water since 1954, even before Ghana even became independent”.

The charged atmosphere at the forecourt of the palace was preceded by a two-hour demonstration by members of the traditional area holding placards and dressed in red and black and was climaxed with the slaughtering of a sheep to drum home their anger.