Accra, March 9, GNA - Togbe Akpao II, a traditional ruler of Ho Dome in the Volta Region, also known in private life as Christian Anku, on Tuesday told the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) that he was an employee of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation but was redeployed in 1989 without being paid any entitlement.
He said he was employed in 1960 and rose to the rank of Principal Accountant, adding that he was heading the Volta Regional branch of the Corporation when he was redeployed in September 1989.
Togbe Akpao said as the head of the Account Section, he was asked from the Head office to give an outline of workers who wanted to go on voluntary retirement as well as those who were not performing well so that they could be redeployed.
He said he later received a letter from the Head office that he had been redeployed, adding that he contacted the Regional Manager who said he knew nothing about his redeployment.
The Witness said there had been some chieftaincy problems in his area, adding that he was convinced his redeployment was influenced by that problem.
He said some chiefs in the Volta Region also played a part, because according to them, he refused to honour their invitation hence they wanted to de-stool him.
Togbe Akpao said he suffered undue arrest and disgrace, adding he shuttled between the Police Station and the Bureau National Investigation (BNI) during the investigations.
The witness said his children could not continue their education because his health deteriorated and he could not farm to support them, adding that he lost his wife in the process.
He appealed to the NRC for compensation.
Another Witness, John Kwame Fiagbenu, unemployed, from Denu in the Volta Region also told the NRC that he worked for six years with the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) as a Preventive Officer but was later asked to go home because they were re-organizing the Service. He said CEPS paid him nothing except a vehicle that conveyed him and his belongings to his hometown in the Volta Region.
The Witness said he wrote to the Controller of CEPS for his benefits but nothing came out of that.
He said he was married with 10 children, four of whom were deceased and pleaded with the Commission for compensation.
Mr. Aboagye Sherrif Koetey from Tekpe near Keta in the Volta Region said he was a Seaman and started sailing in 1966 but in 1990 one Togbe Ahomene III, the District Secretary, Mr. Ocloo and some Policemen broke into his self- contained house and took away his belonging.
He said he put up the building, some stores and a drinking bar out of money he acquired from sailing, adding that the behaviour of the Chief and his people was as a result of envy.
The Witnes said his house was turned into a Day Care Centre, manned by Togbe Ahomena III, adding "all these happened while I was at sea."
He said when he returned, he contacted one Lawyer Kudzawu who helped to retrieve his stores and drinking bar, adding that he petitioned the Confiscated Assets Committee for the remaining property but to no avail.
Mr. Koetey said he could not help his children to continue their education and appealed to the NRC to retrieve the rest of his assets, adding, "if possible collect the rent from Togbe Ahomene for the number of years he had used the building for the Day Care Centre.''
