Chiefs foiled an attack on Veep in Ho

There was a near humiliation of the Vice-President, Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur in the Volta Region but for the timely intervention of some Chiefs and some Executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

This was when some irate youth of the region mostly from the Southern part of Volta Region bussed themselves to picket at the Volta Serene hotel, the venue of the Ministerial Retreat.

Some of the irate youth who spoke to media correspondents noted that, they were in Ho to picket at the venue of the ministerial retreat in demand for an apology from the NDC and also demand that the Vice President Amissah Arthur leave the region.

According to the report, the youth of the region are furious that the Vice-President a few weeks ago branded the people of Volta Region as “lacking reasoning and are laughable”.

The youth have asked for an apology from the Vice-President and the NDC, but he has so far ignored the people of the region. It has been reported that the Vice-President, Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur at a function attended by over 100 NDC executives in Pempamsie Hotel, Cape Coast on Friday, December 11, launched an attack on the Volta Youth for calling him incompetent and therefore to be changed for Speaker, Edward Doe Adjaho.

At the said event where the Vice President declared his ambition for 2020 Presidential slot of the NDC, the pack Pempamsie Hotel hall were stunned when the Veep launched a scathing attack on the Youth of Volta Region calling them as laughable and lacking reasoning.

“In 2012 when the President nominated me as running mate, he indicated to the party he was going to run with me until his term of office is over. I therefore do not understand why some people could not read in-between. I do not understand the level of reasoning of these groups. Who is Volta Youth calling me incompetent and demanding for Doe Adjaho? They are laughable. If they have good reasoning, they should have known that the President who picked me to run with him in 2012 would not change me for anyone else. It is laughable some groups even in the Central Region were attacking me and calling me ineffective and all sort of names. If the President finishes his term of office, I will become the flag bearer for 2020. Those who are saying I am old will laugh at the wrong side of their mouth”.

This statement from Amissah Arthur is said to have angered the youth of the region who immediately asked the Vice-President to apologize or be declared “persona non grata” in the region.

Meanwhile, in spite of several calls on the Veep to apologize to the region, the Veep has remained silent since the Friday 11th of December the day he reportedly made the statement. The Youth of Volta are therefore livid that he refused to render an unqualified apology even after they have officially written to his office and served him with an audio of the said statement.

This, the Youth of the region consider an affront and an indignity to the people of the region which must be condemned by the leadership of the NDC in Volta.

“We heard the Vice President has come to Ho so we have also come with our placards to demonstrate that the Vice-president leave the region immediately, or the NDC will face our wrath in the 2016 elections. But as you can see we have some chiefs talking to us to call off the picketing as they resolve the issue; so we shall go back but will wait to see what the NDC will do. No one can insult us and go scot free, he is incompetent, and we don’t want him in our region…," Samuel Kudiabor, a leading member of the group fumed.

According to a Divisional Chief, who spoke on condition of anonymity, they have to act timely to safe the situation.

“We got a call from Akatsi that there were some angry youth in a bus en route to Ho to demonstrate against the Vice-President so we had to act. This will put the region in bad light so we have talked to them and will summon the leadership of the NDC for the Vice-president to withdraw the statement. Please, we don’t want this to go out so have been waiting for them here at Dome for hours” …he pleaded with reporters.

The Youth, who numbered over 60, were stopped at Ho-Dome by concern divisional chiefs who got wind of the planned demonstration against the Vice-President before they could meet with the rest of demonstrators waiting at the popular civic center for a march towards the Volta Serene Hotel.

The latest development is seen as a heavy blow to President Mahama’s attempt to compensate the people of the region who are so far complaining of neglect by his administration. The Vice-President, Amissah-Arthur, however, led a health walk of Ministers amidst heavy security presence of soldiers from the 66 Artillery Regiment from the Volta Barracks, Ho.

The growing unpopularity of the Vice-President, Mr. Amissah-Arthur should be a concern to the NDC since by the threats of the Volta Youth, the party may suffer the consequences of voter revolt in the party’s supposedly World Bank. By :