Obrempon Hema Dekyi
The Omanhen of the Upper Dixcove Traditional Area in the Western Region, Obrempon Hema Dekyi has urged leaders secretly giving impetus to political vigilante groups to rather channel such energies into helping provide jobs for the country’s teeming unemployed youth.
He foresaw the negative effects of vigilante activities catching up with the sponsors themselves.
“You may be enjoying the benefits today but tomorrow these same people you are sponsoring may turn against you because you may not have the resources to sustain their activities”.
The Omanhen made the observation when former President John Dramani Mahama visited him at his palace during his Thank you tour of the Western Region.
Activities of political party vigilante groups have become a source of worry to many well–meaning Ghanaians fearing dire consequences for the country’s democracy if not dealt with dispassionately.
The fear was heightened during the recently held by–election in the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency when vigilante group members of the NDC and the NPP clashed.
Leadership of the country’s two main political parties – NDC and the NPP – have been blamed for the upsurge in the activities of vigilante groups.
But Obrempon Hema Dekyi noted that leaders supposed to solve problems but not to create and exacerbate them.
“Recent activities of political party vigilante groups have become a concern to Nananom. If you come here [Dixcove] and you hear the youth fighting… There are two Chiefs here; if the two of us rise up and say everyone should lay down their arms, I know tempers will cool. We lead these youth and I believe when we talk to them they will listen”.
He maintained what Ghanaians want is a country they can go about their daily activities without having to look over their shoulders every now and done.
“We plead, anyone who can use his/her position to do something good should help make peace continue to prevail in the country so we can all wake up to our good hustle for our daily bread”.
The Paramount Chief said this of former President Mahama: “We have known you, you will never support violence, you will never do anything to disturb the peace of the country and so we believe others will do same. We plead that our leaders do whatever it takes to bring together the youth so they bury the hatchet”.
Former President John Mahama told Obrempon Hema Dekyi the NDC has learned valuable lessons from the 2016 electoral defeat.
“Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. But in all instance it is God who makes you pass through so you learn. It is not always that things become ideal. What happened in 2016, we have used it as good advice that in 2020 if God permits and NDC comes back to power… I will not say 2016, when we were there everything was ok. But when it happens you use it to learn so that if God gives you that opportunity again then you plan well”.
