Suaman Chiefs ban NPP

Information reaching DAILY GUIDE indicates that some chiefs in the Suaman district of the Western region have warned the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the area not to set foot in their palace.

“The chiefs have told NPP activists in the area not to come to their palaces to pay courtesy call on them whenever their flagbearer or any high-ranking personality of the party visits the area,” a source at Suaman told DAILY GUIDE.

The paper gathered that the chiefs gave the warning after an NPP activist in the area reportedly disagreed with the traditional rulers on an issue during a radio programme.

DAILY GUIDE learnt that the chiefs recently held a programme to honour the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency, Smeck Ackah, for allegedly spearheading the creation of the new Suman District.

Later, a private radio station at Enchi, Tricky Fm, called the Kontihene of Suaman traditional area, Nana Armah Kofi to further explain the rationale behind the event to honour the MP.

The Kontihene allegedly remarked that the MP was honoured because he facilitated the creation of the new Suaman district.

DAILY GUIDE gathered that the Deputy Western Regional Secretary of the NPP, Kofi Abew, called into the radio programme and stated categorically that the chiefs should not have honoured Mr. Ackah because he did nothing to ensure the creation of the district.

A source at Tricky FM told DAILY GUIDE that the NPP regional secretary explained on radio that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo promised to create a new district for the people of Suaman during the 2008 electioneering campaign.

According to Mr. Abew, surprisingly, the late President Mills also promised to create a new district for the people during the campaign.

The NPP activist further stated that even at the initial stages when a list of the various districts was released, Suaman was not included so the NDC youth demonstrated against the government before the new district was created.

To this end, the NPP Regional Deputy Secretary maintained that the chiefs should not have honoured the MP because he had no hand in the creation of the district.

DAILY GUIDE gathered that the chiefs allegedly felt insulted by the statements of the NPP Regional Secretary.

The chiefs then summoned Abew and asked him to apologize, but he refused and insisted that his comments were not insulting.

The chiefs blatantly told the NPP constituency executives in the area that henceforth they should not lead any of the party’s regional or national leaders to their palaces.

When DAILY GUIDE contacted the Suaman constituency chairman of the NPP, Christian Baah, he confirmed the story and described the decision by the chiefs as unfortunate.

Efforts to contact the Bankuhene and Adumhene of Suaman Traditional Area, Nana Ngetaah and Nana Ngyekye Panyin respectively for their comments on the matter proved unsuccessful.