Ekwamase (C/R), Aug 2, GNA - The chiefs and people of Ekwamase electoral area in the Ajuma-Enyan-Essiam District have denied a publication carried by an Accra private newspaper under a banner headline "We would not vote in 2004", which was attribute to them. They said the publication sought to create the impression that the government had been insensitive to their plight, especially for refusing to install a cassava-grater donated to the women in the area.
At a news conference at Ekwamase at the weekend the chiefs commended the government in its efforts to improve their standard of living and assured it of their unflinching support.
Nana Nketia Afful, Abontsindomhene of the Abeadse traditional area and spokesman of the chiefs enumerated a number of projects the government had executed in the electoral area in 14 communities. They included the rehabilitation and construction of school blocks and roads. Nana Afful said the paper's reporter never came to the area to interview the people before coming out with "that malicious publication."
He appealed to the editor of the Independent newspaper to retract the story and apologize to the people for creating bad blood between them and the government.
Miss Eva Afful, Assemblywoman, in a contribution explained that the assembly received two cassava graters from the Ministry of the Women and Children's Affairs and gave them to the two women groups to promote their work.
She said they received the machine only three months ago and not one and half years as reported in the paper.
Miss Afful said the assembly promised to provide them with materials when it started disbursing this year's common fund, and requested the communities to provide sand, stones and acquire a plot of land for the construction of a structure to house the machine. She said she could not accused the assembly for failing to honour its promise when she knew very well that the supplementary estimates on the common fund were discussed and approved at the very meting the reporter picked the story.
