Members of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council have rejected a purported apology sent to them by Victor Smith—former Ambassador to the Czech Republic and later the United Kingdom.
According to the Akyem Abuakwa State Secretary, Dan Ofori-Atta, the anger of the council is directed at the national leadership of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and not the Okyeman caucus of the NDC as Victor Smith is seeking to push.
Victor Smith—in a document circulating on social media purporting to be coming from the ‘Okyeman caucus in NDC’—claims to have apologised to the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council.
The Traditional Council on Monday protested against the incessant attacks on the person of the Okyenhene and the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional area by some people within the leadership of the NDC, with the recent one coming from the Ashanti Regional Secretary of the party—Kwame Zu.
Kwame Zu, who was speaking at a protest march organised by the Coalition for National Sovereignty, a pro-NDC pressure group, in Kumasi on Monday 16th September 2019, had stated that until the coming into office of former President John Mahama, the Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, used to share water with animals.
This and several other attacks made by persons within the NDC including the former President, who described Kyebi as the headquarters of ‘galamsey’, compelled the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council to demonstrate against the party.
Mr. Smith in the document circulating on social media said the leadership of the Okyeman caucus in the NDC wishes to express our sadness about the “unfortunate and regrettable pronouncements of one of our political party members during a recent demonstration in Kumasi.”
This comes after Mr. Smith had publicly accused the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) of being behind the anti-NDC placards displayed during the demonstration. The apology letter which, according to Mr. Smith, was sent via social media added that “we would have wished that the Okyeman Council had exercised restraint in the exercise of its traditional authority and pronouncements in order not to exacerbate the already charged political atmosphere in the country.”
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But responding to the statement, a leading member of the Okyeman Council said, “Our response is that our anger is directed at the national leadership of the NDC, not the Okyeman caucus of the NDC.”
He questioned the existence of the group before the impasse began, saying “in any case, this so-called Okyeman caucus was unknown prior to this event.”
He said “if Kwame Zu should personally be held responsible for the scandalous statement for the reason that he was not speaking on behalf of the party, then the statement by this so-called caucus is needless.”
“Nananom have spoken. Our call was to the national leadership of the NDC, not the so-called caucus. Okyeman will not become an unconscious plaything in the hands of forces and caucuses who seek to rationalize incendiary and abusive ethnocentric statements,” he said.
Source: Daily Guide
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Ernest but whose demo station or press conference ? do you in the ndc read to understand the English language? pro ndc means the group is ndc if you don't know, if the group wasn't working for the interest of the ndc what was his mission there as a regional secretary of the ndc? ndc don't play it smart because every Ghanaian knows who you are, ndc can form a group in a twinkle of an eye and make it look like they existed for 100 years when ndc was formed just 1992 that's how dangerous and evil these people are ! If ndc think this will never affect them so taking it a bluff they will wake up in 2020 with 20% and with that go to court ! I tell you afei na moahyia Kyeiwah ne ne mma! not forgetting Ashanti region and Atebubu in the Bono East, it's like ndc have some hate for Akans and gradually they are bringing it out insulting Akans from one region to the other! these same people killed Prof . Mills and refused to tell Ghanaians what killed him and neglected his grave yard and came back to accuse npp for that thinking every Ghanaian is a ***barred word*** like them and after 5 years of Pro.Mills death used Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah Arthur as Thanksgiving! we are not ***barred word*** and never under estimate us. Being quiet for peace sake is not weakness, loving our country more than ourselves is not show of defeat. Our displeasure will not be by the gun but by the ballot box and test our might and see? ndc will rot in opposition!
CAN KWAME ZU BE SUED? I THINK KWAME ZU CANE BE SUED. HE INTENTIONALLY INSULTED OKYEHE AND OKYEMAN ON A PLATFORM OF HIS CHOICE. WITH NO PROVOCATION HE VOLUNTARY ATTACKED THE RIGHTS AND REPUTATIONS OF OKYEHENE AND OTHERS. OKYEHENE OR ANY AFFECTED PERSONS CAN THEREFORE DEMAND FROM KWAME ZU AN APOLOGY THAT DESERVES THE STATUS AND THE DIGNITY OF THE AFFECTED PERSONS. FAILURE FOR KWAME ZU TO DO THAT IS TANTAMOUNT FOR HIM TO BE SUED WITH DAMAGE COST. GHANA CONSTITUTION CONTAINS PROTECTION FOR ALL PERSONS INCLUDING CHIEFS AND CHIEFTANCY INSTITUTION. THE FREEDOM TO ASSOCIATE TO A POLITICAL PARTY DOES NOT GIVE ANYBODY THE RIGHT TO ATTACK THE IMAGE AND DIGNITY OF OTHERS. SHOULD KWAME ZU BE SUED? I THINK HE MUST BE SUED. THE ATTACK OF TRADITIONAL INSTITUTION BY POLITICAL PARTIES IS GETTING OUT OF HAND. IT APPEARS TO BE INTENDED TO BREAK DOWN THE TRADITIONAL INSTITUTIONS. ONCE UPON A TIME THERE USED TO BE KINGS IN ALL EUROPE AND ASIA. THE RISING OF SOCIALIST AND COMMUNIST GOVERNMENTS LED TO THE WIDESPREAD ELIMINATION OF SOME TRADITIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN THOSE REGIONS. IT IS HOWEVER JUSTIFIED TO CLAIM THAT THE COLLAPSE OF OLD TRADITIONS DID NOT BRING ANY HELP TO THOSE SOCIETIES. WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT UNITED KINGDOM, NETHERLAND, JAPAN AND MANY OTHER PLACES WHO PROTECTED TO MAINTAIN THE OLD CUSTOMS STILL BENEFITS IMMENSELY FROM THEIR EXISTENCE. RECENTLY, WE HAVE WITNESSED SOME ATTACKS OF TRADITIONAL LEADERS AT ATTEBUBU, MANHYA AND KYEBI. THESE HAPPENINGS, THOUGH NOT THE FIRST TIME IN GHANA, ARE NOT ACCIDENTAL. IT LOOKS LIKE A CALCULATED EFFORT TO TARNISH THE IMAGE OF THE TRADITIONAL INSTITUTIONS. IT IS TIME NOW FOR THE TRADITIONAL AUTHORITIES TO RESORT TO THE LAWS OF THE LAND TO PROTECT THEIR RIGHTS AND AND DIGNITY. IF THEY DONT DO IT NOBODY WOULD DO IT FOR THEM, BUT IF THEY DO THEY WILL GET OUR SUPPORT. AS OTUMFUO RETURNS FROM UN, MAAHAMA SHALL SOON GO TO MANYIA TO APOLOGISE. THE APOLOGY SHOULD BE DEEMED TO BE SINCERE AN NOT JUST A PRETENCE. AND IF IT DESERVES TO BE ACCEPTED IT MUST NOT BE ENTERTAINED WITH ANY FANFARE, BUT WITH SERIOUSNESS AND PAIN. THE HABIT TO INSULT TRADITIONAL LEADERS TO APOLOGISE TO THEM SHOULD NOT BE ENTERTAIN TO BECOME A CULTURE IN OUR SOCIETY.
THey can go to Hell.Asonyaa
IS THIS A NEW WORD IN THE DICTIONARY 'APOLOGYISE'? ADWOA AND CO HAVE BEEN USING IT IN THEIR WRITE UPS. HMMMMM,GOD SAVE NDC FROM BAD ENGLISH.
In my opinion, i think the chiefs are over stretching this matter. if the traditional council feels the guy has done any kriminal thing they should send him to court. Our chiefs are now dabbling in party politics.
Okyeman wants to be disgraced by being ignored by NDC.It was not an NDC press conference in which Kwame Zu said those things,so if they won't accept the apology,they can go hang!! nobody can intimidate anybody in Ghana!!!
NDC, please dont stood low for anyone. God knows you have apologyise if they wont accept leave them. they are not God. They are just doing politics. Just note that u will never win at any of the akyeam states and its not new but your members here will vote for you just focus on the other regions and ignore them.
HAHHA THIS IS FUNNY OO, ARE THE PEOPLE OF NDC IN OKYEMAN NOT PART OF THE NDC? PLEASE YOU GUYS SHOULD STOP THE POLITICAL THING. ITS JUST KWAME ZU WHO WRONGED YOU, HE CAME OUT TO APOLOGYISE AND YOU REJECTED AND YOU SAID U WANT THE LEADERSHIP OF THE NDC NOW THEY HAVE SELECTED THEIR LEADERS IN YOUR OWN LAND TO COME AND THAT ONE TOO YOU SAY NO, WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT? I THINK NDC SHOULD BUS ALL ITS MEMBERS FROM THE WHOLE GHANA TO GO AND APOLOGYISE HAHA THIS IS FUNNY OO. OKAY LET ME MAKE IT SIMPLE FOR THE NDC THEY WANT TO SEE GENERAL AND CHAIRMAN I THINK. PLEASE LET THEM GO AND APOLOGYISE N IT WILL BE THE LAST, IF THEY REJECT THAT TOO LET THEM GO TO HELL.