Cape Coast Festival And Democracy Under Atta Mills

New Patriotic Party

Central Regional Secretariat

Press Statement

It is now crystal clear that the Atta Mills led NDC government cannot take our democracy to a higher height from what former president Kufuor’s government bequeathed to them.

We all recall the incident that occurred on the 5th of September, 2008 during the celebration of the Cape Coast Fetu Afahye where former president Kufuor who came to meet the then presidential candidate of the NDC, Prof. Mills, seated at the durbar grounds and former president Kufuor going to greet Prof. Mills. It was when Prof. Mills was returning the greeting that an incident occurred between the then President’s body guards and that of Prof. Mills’ private security at that time. That recognition by the then president, J A. Kufuor, to the then NDC presidential candidate, Prof. Mills, sent a clear message that former president Kufuor understood democracy and though there were differences in opinions and political ideologies between him and Prof. Mills, there was the need to acknowledge his presence at the durbar to show respect, foster unity amongst Ghanaians and to deepen our young democracy.

What did we see this time during the celebration of the Fetu Afahye under ‘the father for all President’? As custom demands, when the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, got to the durbar grounds, he was proceeding to exchange greetings with the chiefs, queen mothers and elders of the Cape Coast traditional area only to be accosted by Nii Lante Vanderpauje, an aide to the President, and other security operatives to abort that all-important tradition and to resume his seat. Upon request from the NPP Regional secretary, Mr. Kwamena Duncan and former regional Minister, Nana Ato Arthur, that it would be discourteous and highly disrespectful of the chiefs and people of the traditional area and also a slam in the face of custom if Nana Addo did not do that, Nii Lante Vanderpauje simply would not budge and this he did in the full view and glare of the paramount chief, Nana Kwesi Atta II, the queen mothers and elders as well as the hundreds who had trooped to the durbar grounds. Nana Addo not wanting to be a source of any unfortunate incident that could mar the beauty of the occasion resumed his seat at the disgust and displeasure of the hundreds who had gathered and observing with keen interest. Before the President’s arrival, the MC for the programme had earlier on announced to acknowledge the arrival of some ministers of state but that courtesy was not accorded Nana Akufo-Addo. When the President arrived, he went to greet the chiefs of the Cape Coast traditional area and stood in the middle of the durbar grounds to wave at the crowd. From there, the MC introduced all the ministers, members of parliament and M DCEs who were with the president on the dais and even went on to introduce lower NDC party officials.

After this, the paramount Chief of the Cape Coast traditional area, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, who officially invited Nana Addo to the festival, in his welcome address to the gathering surprisingly failed to acknowledge the presence of Nana Akufo-Addo even though he had acknowledged the President, his Ministers, MPs MDCEs and NDC party officials. It is important to place on record that it was not Nana Akufo-Addo who decided on his volition to attend the function but upon official invitation from the paramount chief and the traditional council. Yet, Osabarima Kwesi Atta refused to acknowledge Nana Akufo-Addo’s presence at the durbar grounds. Again, before the Regional Minister, Mrs. Benyiwa-Doe, delivered her speech, she introduced the Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast who was seated close to where Nana Akufo-Addo and his entourage were but the Regional Minister also followed suit and refused to acknowledge the presence of Nana Akufo-Addo and his entourage.

It is not surprising that the sub-chiefs and the people of Cape Coast generally have expressed disgust at what happened and see that as a deliberate attempt by the paramount chief, the NDC and the president to prevent Nana Addo from engaging with the people of Cape Coast and for that matter Central region.

Upon consultation with Nana Addo’s office, Nana seems not to have even noticed what happened and hopes fervently to maintain the cordial relationship that has always existed between him and the people of Cape Coast and for that matter the people of Central region and hopes to depend on this relationship to seek their mandate to become the president in 2012 and make them an integral part of his administration.

Among Nana Akufo-Addo’s entourage were Hon. Kwamina Bartels, Hon. Isaac Edumadze, Nana Ato Arthur, Mr. Fred Oware, Hon. Sophia Horner-Sam, Mr. Dankwa-Smith and a host of others. None of the aforementioned names was called up for introduction throughout the programme though these are people who have contributed immensely to the development of the Central Region in particular and the entire country at large. We thought that the president was going to take advantage of Nana Addo’s presence at the durbar to take steps to unite the country which has been so polarized along tribal and political lines since he assumed office as president.

But it does not come as a surprise to the NPP, because we know that the NDC and the government are quaking at the election of Nana Akufo-Addo as the flagbearer of the NPP and therefore what happened was a deliberate effort to prevent Nana Addo from engaging with the people of Cape Coast and Central region as a whole as has been the case with every event that Nana Addo has attended in the country and that would have taken the shine out of the presence of the President whose leadership has been described by even people within his own party as lack-luster , slow, directionless and non-delivering.

Upon the deliberate attempt to black out Nana Addo at the function, the people spontaneously trooped in their numbers to Nana after the programme and mobbed him and sang his praises. It was a herculean task for the Police and Nana’s personal security to control the crowd that had gathered around him and all that they were saying was that Nana Akufo-Addo should come to their rescue come 2012 because the Atta Mills’ government has brought untold economic hardships on them. What happened clearly tells Ghanaians which party is indeed committed to deepening democracy in Ghana not by mouth but by real deeds.

RICHARD TAKYI-MENSAH

SIGNED

REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

Tel: 0249167226