Akwasi Addai Odike
Founder and leader of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Akwasi Addai Odike, has slammed the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for politicizing the Kwahu Easter activities.
The businessman averred that doing so was an insult and a slap in the face of the tourists who travelled to Kwahu to celebrate Easter.
According to him, both NPP and NDC needed to be condemned since the platform where they organized their political activities was not conducive.
"The event provided a chance for family members who had travelled there to reconnect and interact with their relatives.
"It also served as a form of tourism for foreigners who travelled several miles from their home regions to Kwahu to participate in the annual festival.
“However, the two political parties, for their parochial and selfish interests, went there to campaign for votes. That was unfortunate and irresponsible. We don’t have to entertain that,” he said.
He was worried the two parties have politicized everything in Ghana, including religion, making it difficult for us to distinguish between our social and cultural life from partisan politics.
Odike underscored the need for us to find ways to stop the politicization of these festivals.
He warned that if care was not taken, the foreigners who participate in the paragliding and all the other activities associated with the Easter celebration in Kwahu would stop coming due to the political activities associated with the festivities.
“The festival allows families who have been away for years to return and interact with their relatives, but the two parties are diverting the main reason and objective of Kwahu. So, if care is not taken and we allow this to continue, the foreigners and tourists will stop coming.
"Secondly, the attraction associated with the events will no longer be there because it has been politicized. This is because tourists and all those who patronize the annual event will see the festivities as politically tainted and will not want to associate with them.
"This is why I am condemning the NDC and NPP for organizing political rallies there. It is not good but irresponsible.”
Odike made the remarks while speaking on Rainbow Radio.
