We will vote out Afotey Agbo – NDC

Die-hard supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at Appolonia in the Kpone-Katamanso constituency have vowed to vote against the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Joseph Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo, who is their Member of Parliament.

According to them, though the minister is the head of security in the region, he has woefully failed to address the land guard menace, which he has been accused of promoting.

The NDC in Appolonia has, therefore, concluded that when they add their votes to those of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the constituency, Afotey Agbo, popularly called Lion, would lose his seat and consequently tame him from roaring at innocent indigenes of Appolonia.

Vivian Ama Dede Dortey, NDC Appolonia branch Secretary told The Chronicle that the Appolonia NDC’s resolve to vote against their once upon a time darling MP is premised on the fact that people are being intimidated, maimed or sometimes killed by land guards, but they are not getting any protection from their MP and the state.

“When it is 7pm and you are coming home from work, you need to call the youth to provide you with security because these land guards will attack and maim you for speaking against Nii Afotey,” Vivian Dede lamented.

Adding her voice as a member of the NDC at Appolonia, after the Appolonia Stool had accused the MP at a press conference for allegedly getting himself involved in land matters, Vivian Ama Dede Dortey said revenue from sand and stone winning activities in the area is not properly accounted for.

She said the Kpone-Katamanso District Assembly (KKDA) had told the Appolonia Stool that it did not authorize the land degradation activities and so it could not collect any revenue from the illegal operators.

“Appolonia stopped the activities of sand winners a couple of years ago, but as soon as one of the sons of Appolonia, Joseph Akuerteh Tettey contested Afotey in the last NDC parliamentary primary, he vowed to permit sand winning activities to start on our land."

“He told us at one of our NDC branch meetings in December 2015 that security would collapse in this area because the Stool did not prevent Joseph Akuerteh from challenging him.”

She seconded the Appolonia Stool that, since that tough statement from their darling MP, the area had been taken over by land guards who attack indigenes on their farms, protect sand winners and collect revenues from these illegal land activities.

Vivian said several complaints they had lodged at the police station on the threats and intimidations they had continued to receive from such land guards had been parried by the police.

“Since the police have also failed to provide us with the needed security because Afotey is the chairman of the Regional Security Council, on December 7, the NDC in this area will add our valid votes to those of the NPP to see off Afotey-Agbo.

Our safety and security are paramount to our Chiefs and elders and so we need to respect and obey them".

"The NDC in Appolonia will, therefore, show our deep honour to our Stool by putting our love for the NDC aside for Appolonia’s peace and security,” Vivian Ama Dede Dortey, NDC Appolonia branch Secretary indicated.

All efforts to reach the MP for his comments to the allegations levelled against him proved futile as his phones were off.