Don't go 'crazy' on Badu Nkansah, let calm prevail! - Okudzeto Ablakwa appeals to irate youth

North Tongu lawmaker, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has called on irate youth not to turn violent on the publisher of the controversial textbooks which have denigrated Ewes in the country.

Books titled ''History of Ghana'' and "Golden English" intended to be used by primary school children have ignited passions and anger in some youth who are said to have given every indication of their willingness to burn the books and/or office of the publisher as well as take the laws of the nation into their hands against the authors of the two textbooks.

Particularly, the ''History of Ghana Textbook 3'' raised concerns in the public domain after the author described Ewes as ''juju loving'' people and also some songs in the textbooks which tend to undermine Ewes.

A Ghanaian local publishing house, Badu Nkansah Limited is said to be behind the publishing of the books.

The public took umbrage against the book in circulation which the Publisher admits "have not yet met the final approvement threshold”.

The author's tone has been described as offensive to Ewes and a section of the youth is reportedly bracing up to take violent actions against the publisher and the authors.

Speaking in an interview on Peace FM's morning programme "Kokrokoo", Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa pleaded with the youth to cease fire.

"There is no need to incite people and to feed on the pain. People are genuinely hurt and we must be soothing. We must be calming and we must assure them that we will get to the bottom of this thing. And you'll never know that maybe the people who are behind these things, just a few . . . provocateurs who don't even wish Ghana well [you know], they don't wish Ghana well and they will want there to be an explosion; so we must put them to shape and work together and just resolve this matter once and for all."

He further pledged to be part of the solution to the issue, not an instigator; hence calling on his fellow lawmakers and leaders of the nation to have a calming voice on the matter.

" . . I can make that pledge and that commitment to you that we will be part of the solution because we shouldn't escalate matters further. It won't help any person!," he emphasized.

Publisher's Apology

The publisher of the textbooks says it has recalled all copies of the controversial textbooks from the market.

Spokesperson for the publisher, Mark Osei has also apologized for their ''offensive description'' of Ewes in the publication and maintained that “we sincerely regret this which won’t happen again”, in an interview on NEAT FM’s morning show "Ghana Montie".

According to him, although the book had satisfied most of the technical content requirements, the National Council for Curriculum Assessment (NaCCA) had informed them to work on certain aspects of the book for it to meet the expectations of the new curriculum.

The said publication also features a song that shows the Ewes identity by making inappropriate references which are deemed unfortunate and in contradiction with NaCCA's Book Submission Guidelines and Approval Methodology which guide the work of publishers and authors.

Mark Osei stated that copies of the book were leaked but assured the general public all will be retrieved.

He stated the copies will be set ablaze saying “it’s unfortunate, all we will say is sorry but I can assure you that we will retrieve all and burn them in the public”.