Schools in Axim weren’t closed down by Kwame Ato Asare - Nzema East MCE

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the Nzema East Municipal Assembly Area in the Western Region, Honourable Dorcas Elizabeth Amoah, has stated categorically that she did not say the schools in Axim were closed down by leader of the galamsey gang declared wanted by the Ghana Police Service, Kwame Ato Asare Ani for three weeks as put up in the public domain by Accra-based radio station, Peace FM.

Setting the records straight in a press release, Madam Amoah asserted that the said broadcast, which was made public on the radio station on Monday April 3, 2023, does not accurately represent her accounts.

"I want to state without any equivocation that I, Honourable Dorcas Amoah, Municipal Chief Executive for the Nzema East Municipal Assembly, have not said what Peace FM has attributed to me about Kwame Ato Asare closing schools in Axim for three weeks.

"I assert emphatically that the said broadcast, which was made public, does not accurately represent my accounts.

"What I said was that settler farmers (primarily Dagatis) in Kakusuazo, Gwira Traditional Area, claimed that Kwame Ato Asare threatened them at a funeral that if they did not return his stolen cell-phone, no Dagati child would be able to attend school," she said.

Below is the full statement

Re: Kwame Ato Asare closed down schools in Axim.

My attention has been called to a misreport by Accra-based Peace FM, which claimed that I told them during a phone interview on their evening news segment on Monday, April 3, 2023, that one Kwame Ato Asare closed down schools in Axim.

I want to state without any equivocation that I, Honourable Dorcas Amoah, Municipal Chief Executive for the Nzema East Municipal Assembly, have not said what Peace FM has attributed to me about Kwame Ato Asare closing schools in Axim for three weeks.

I assert emphatically that the said broadcast, which was made public, does not accurately represent my accounts.

What I said was that settler farmers (primarily Dagatis) in Kakusuazo, Gwira Traditional Area, claimed that Kwame Ato Asare threatened them at a funeral that if they did not return his stolen cell-phone, no Dagati child would be able to attend school.

I did not state Kwame Ato Asare, who has since been arrested and detained in police custody in Sekondi, closed schools for three weeks in the Axim.

I'd like to state that my lieutenants and I moved swiftly to the community to ascertain the truth and assured the people of the Dagati community that the Assembly would ensure that their children could attend school without interruption.

It should be reiterated that the school in Kakusuazo was not shuttered, as reported by the media.

Honourable Dorcas Amoah

(Municipal Chief Executive, Nzema East Municipal Assembly)