Deputy Minister’s alleged insult not directed at Oborpa Chiefs – Campaign Manager

The Campaign Manager of the Parliamentary Candidate of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) in Lower Manya Krobo, Samuel Nuertey Ayertey, who also doubles as the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister has rejected accusations by the Chief of Oborpa, a farming community in the Constituency that the Deputy Minister has insulted Chiefs in the area.

Philip Kwaku Mamphey – the Campaign Manager said “stupid” comments made by the Deputy Regional Minister was directed at a young man in the Oborpa Community who spoke rudely to him during a misunderstanding over grading of a road in the area.

“On Monday I was with him [Deputy Regional Minister] in the Constituency and he had a call from the operator of the grader that some of the community people came to stop him. When we got there, about 17 boys and about 4 women were around, and we asked the operator and he pointed the boys. So I didn’t let the deputy Minister talk.I went there and asked the boys why is it that you people are saying that the road should not be grade for you for easy usage, and they said for them we have to wait to let the Dademantse and co come to show the contractor how to do the road, and I said what! What is this, please for God sake people want to use the road. I even encourage them to put NPP,NDC, PNC,CPP any political meaning aside, the most important thing is the road should be in a good situation for people to use it”.

He added, “so I did the talking and when I was doing the talking one of the guys said that even this year there will not be any voting in their community, and I told the boy you are too premature, you are a foetus you don’t have to say that, you don’t know what you are saying”.

“Then the Minister came down to ask them so is it true that you people are stopping the grader or I should take it away. These are the two questions he asked. Then they said take your grader away! Take your grader away! Then I said you don’t speak like that. Then one guy there said “leave here! Then I said are you here to insult us ?” Then guy said that “i pay you “He was referring to the Minister. He was insulting the Minister. So the Minister said stupid boy, stop misbehaving. Then the guy said” am I the one you are insulting? The Minister didn’t mind him and went to sit in his car. So there, I said that if they don’t want it in that area they should send it to the next Community”.

The Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Samuel Nuertey Ayertey has been accused by the Dademantse of Oborpa Nene Agbertey Tetteh for allegedly insulting them as “illiterates and stupid “after they stopped an operator of a grader hired by the Deputy Minister to grade road from Oborpa to Klo Gyerkity area arguing that the road needs proper rehabilitation and not mere reshaping due to its deplorable state and the need to construct four bridges.

Explaining the Project to Starr News, the Campaign Manager of the Deputy Minister said “three months ago the Deputy Minister went there, he called all the Dademantseme and he presented a spraying machine to each Dademantse, cutlass and weedicide. It was there they requested that Yes our roads are in deplorable state which the Minister said ‘yes me myself I’ve seen it. I have asked the Ministry of Feeder roads to come and see the road so very soon they will be doing it. They are in the process of awarding the contract. But for now how deplorable the road is, we cannot wait for this contract to be approved so if so let me go and get a grader so that the grader should come and at least come and repair the road for the meantime so that if the contract itself is ready then they will come and do the road itself for you”.

He further stated that “they agreed over there. On Sunday morning he called the Chief that they are bringing the machine but the Chief -Agbertey said he should have held on for him to call all the Dademantseme so that he will inform them. But if somebody has hired a grader to grade your roads for you. he should wait. It is not done anywhere”.

Meanwhile, the Municipal Chief Executive for Lower Manya Krobo Simon Kwaku Tetteh has gone to the Community to kneel and apologize to the angry chiefs in the area on behalf of the Deputy Minister, a decision the Campaign Manager says the Deputy Minister was unaware of.