Cape Coast -- The Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Prof John Evans Atta Mills, on Monday made it clear that former President Jerry John Rawlings never insulted Fante chiefs as being speculated by a section of the Ghanaian media to create acrimony between him and the chiefs in Central Region.
He said, the media misinterpreted his statement when he (Rawlings) blamed NDC activists for going to sleep to allow other party agents to rig the elections.
Addressing the Central Regional House of Chiefs in Cape Coast, as part of his interactive visit with chiefs in his home region, Prof Mills explained that contrary to the report that Mr. Rawlings stated that Fante Chiefs were bribed to vote for NPP in the last two elections, the ex-President rather blamed polling station agents who did not work efficiently in the region, resulting in the defeat of the party in the 2000 and 2004 general elections.
Prof Mills added that the NDC believed in the chieftaincy institution and did not believe that traditional rulers would stoop so low as to allow themselves to be bribed to vote for a political party.
He advised the chiefs to reprimand erring political parties and advise them on their utterances so as not to inflame passions in the impending polls. Prof Mills urged Ghanaians to take a cue from what has happened in other African countries which has been characterized by violence and play their respective roles well, so as to have peaceful elections.
He said the NDC has put in place policies to strengthen the agricultural and industrial sectors of the country, as well as policies to empower chiefs to enable them give off their best in terms of development in their localities.
He advised the people of the Central Region to wake up to the realization that the area was lagging behind in development and vote massively for the NDC in the December 7 elections. He also asked for special prayers from the chiefs to help him in his presidential ambition.
The Central Regional Chairman of the NDC, Mr. Valis Akyianu, who accompanied Prof Mills said the NDC would renovate the dilapidated Central Regional House of Chiefs building when it comes to power. He urged the people in the area to vote massively for NDC to develop the area.
The President of the House, Nana Kwamena Ansah, schooled the NDC entourage on the position of chiefs in the impending elections and urged them to refrain from inflammatory utterances in order to have peaceful elections.
He advised Ghanaians to go out in their numbers on the day of elections to exercise their franchise. Prof Mills presented copies of the NDC manifesto to the chiefs, GH¢ 3,000 and two cartons of schnapps.
The Fante Confederacy has meanwhile condemned the alleged statement made by former President Jerry John Rawlings, to the effect that President John Agyekum Kufuor and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) bribed Fantes with money to vote for them in the 2004 general elections.
In a press release signed by the President of the Fante Confederacy, Daasebre Kwebu Ewusie, on Thursday, described the utterances of the former President as unfortunate and embarrassing, noting that the Central Region was made up of several ethnic tribes.
According to the press release, such utterances from a Statesman like the former President, would bring division among the people and also create the impression that the people in the region are not intelligent and cannot think for themselves.
It noted that Fantes were very intelligent people and has always been at the forefront of fighting for the destiny and development of the nation. It further added that the people in the area were not desperate to sell their conscience for a mess of pottage, indicating that such insulting statements do not promote harmony among Ghanaians.
They have, therefore, urged the former President and the NDC to renounce the statement and acknowledge the intelligence and dignity of Fantes for peace to prevail, before and after the elections.
The release also advised all political parties to desist from tribal politics in order not to jeopardize the peace prevailing in the country.
Meanwhile, information reaching the office of The Chronicle indicated that the chiefs were instigated by the Central Regional Minister, Nana Ato Arthur to issue the press statement against the alleged statement made by former President Rawlings.
