Members of the Concerned Youth of Volta Region have served notice to demonstrate against President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo if he does not apologize to the Aflao Chief Torgbui Adzonugaga Amenya Fiti V.
This comes after President Akufo-Addo had, in a sarcastic manner, asked the Chief to complete Mahama’s E-block by himself.
The President said most of the E-block projects started by the Mahama administration have been completed by his government. Others are also at various stages of completion, he said.
Mr Akufo-Addo’s comments came after Torgbui Adzonugaga Amenya Fiti, had given the government a four-month ultimatum to open the e-block community day senior high school which in his view, has stalled since 2016.
The ¢9 million project which was part of some 200 classroom blocks the erstwhile Mahama administration started was supposed to have some 26 classrooms attached and 5 departments including a science block.
Torgbui Adzonugaga Amenya Fiti speaking with the Minority side of the Education Committee who toured the uncompleted school buildings in the Ketu South constituency says, government’s approach to education is appalling.
“After senior high school education, the next degree that my people have to do is to go to border and go and do kayayo, no school.
“The only school that we have is the RC Senior High School that belongs to the Catholic Mission Minor Seminary. So this thick population have no place to go and people sit down in that big hall called parliament and not thinking about Aflao, a place after the Tema Harbour, the next revenue generation is from the Aflao border.
“I had to push the former President Mahama for the structure to be constructed over there. I had to be running from here to Accra begging. Should we beg for education?”
But Mr Akufo-Addo questioned why the Chief is giving the sector minister an ultimatum.
He said on Peace FM Thursday, October 21 that “Many of the E-blocks are being worked on across the country.
“Is he [Aflao Chief] the one to give the minister ultimatum then he should go ahead and complete the project.”
But the Volta youth members who are unhappy with the President’s response said in a statement on Friday October 22 that ” President Akuffo Addo’s intolerant posture of mounting vitriolic attacks on citizens who voted him into office to get things done the right way is not only disrespectful but also nauseating and reprehensible. It is about time he wholeheartedly accepted criticism without having emotions attached.”
“We are also calling and appealing to the President to complete the E-Blocks and other infrastructures which are at various stages of completion across the country for use as governance is continuous process. Our chiefs have every right to demand their share of the national cake from the Central government and air their views on pertinent issues that bothers them.”
Below is their full statement…
CONCERNED YOUTH OF VOLTA REGION
GHANA
For Immediate Release
22/10/2021
PRESIDENT AKUFFO MUST IMMEDIATELY RETRACT AND RENDER AN UNQUALIFIED APOLOGY TO THE PARAMOUNT CHIEF OF AFLAO AND THE PEOPLE OF THE VOLTA REGION
The attention of the Concerned Youth of the Volta region has been drawn to a video circulating on social media where the President,His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwah Akuffo Addo was seen throwing a jab at Torgbui Adzonugaga Amenya Fiti V,the Paramount Chief of Aflao Traditional Area,for demanding one of the Community Day Senior High Schools constructed by the erstwhile Mahama administration to be completed and put to good use.
The unfortunate comment was made when the President was having a one on one interview on an Accra based radio station,Peace FM’ s “Kokoroko” morning show hosted by Mr Kwame Sefa Kayi.
The subtle attempt by the NPP government to be consistently denigrating,disrespecting and undermining our Traditional rulers will not be countenanced in any way,as it will be resisted without fear of favour.
The demands by the revered chief was made when minority caucus of the education committee of parliament paid a courtesy call on him his palace.
In the just ended voter’s registration exercise,Mr John Boadu,the General Secretary of the governing party also accused some Volta chiefs for serving as polling station chairmen and station wardens. Such a lame,blatant falsehood statement was peddled without any scintilla of evidence.
Their national Chairman,Mr Freddie Blay also labelled Torgbui Afede,the immediate past President of the National House of Chiefs,who also doubles as the Agbogbomefiaof the Asogli State and President of the Asogli Traditional Area as a “Palm wine tapper” and got away with it. The brazen impunity with these callous name callings and attacks is gradually dragging the names of our eminent chiefs into disrepute.
President Akuffo Addo’s intolerant posture of mounting vitriolic attacks on citizens who voted him into office to get things done the right way is not only disrespectful but also nauseating and reprehensible. It is about time he wholeheartedly accepted criticism without having emotions attached.
We are therefore, calling on the President to as a matter of urgency retract and apologize to the Paramount Chief and to the good people of the volta region else we will hold a mammoth demonstration against him and his government.
The people of Volta region are peaceful and loving people,but it does not mean we are vindictive people.
It is imperative and instructive to note that;
It is not only Torgbui Adzonugaga Amenya Fiti V, the Paramount Chief of Aflao Traditional Area who made such request. Other eminent chiefs also did same.
The eminent and revered chief doesn’t take tax from citizens and should be ordered to complete an uncompleted projects.
We are also calling and appealing to the President to complete the E-Blocks and other infrastructures which are at various stages of completion across the country for use as governance is continuous process. Our chiefs have every right to demand their share of the national cake from the Central government and air their views on pertinent issues that bothers them.
It is obvious and crystal that the President will no contest in the next elections hence,his recent posture and comments.
Our greatest shock and dismay was the host of the program,Mr Kwame Sefa Kayi, who partly hailed from the region laughed at the President’s response. His hypocrital behaviour over the years is sickening and should be controlled.
We condemn his comments in the strongest terms
We will not sit aloof for any individual or group of persons to denigrate our leaders for nothing.
God bless our motherland Ghana.
Long live Volta
Long live Ghana
Signed:
Wonder Setsoafia Deynu
Convenor
Bernard Edem Ahiekpor
P.R.O
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Oh hoo Ghana Chiefs giving ultimatum to President and the minister, you the Aflao chief what contribution have you been made to your town demonstrate until atemuda aaaba please dont let the work hard for the MP coss NDC can win 2024 elections
You can demonstrate all you like. Who cares? If every chief is demanding their fair of the national cake, which development project would ever get completed?
Our traditions present our cultural values, such as the values we place on electing the spokespersons for our Chiefs. In twi, they call them Okyeame, and they possess a high proficiency in the twi language- as an utmost criterion for selecting a linguist for the chiefs. And you would agree with me when I say they adhere to diplomacy and etiquette such that they don't even give a suspicious look to all that may have the earmarks of being big lies. The constitution of Ghana seeks to protect the loyalty and respect of our chiefs when it stipulates that, Chiefs should resign if they want to engage in active partisan politics. That notwithstanding, they could avoid partisan political polemics, speak to issues decorously and desperately as chiefs of the people of diverse political affiliations. The times and locations for such political statements be measured to avoid intensifying a hitherto politically polarized atmosphere.
You can demonstrate till the end of your lives. Who cares? Do chiefs have the power to give ultimatum to government? If I were the president I would order a halt to the construction and see what that chief would after the expiration of his so-called ultimatum. Such things are happening because "talk" has become too cheap in Ghana. Go ahead and demonstrate till Jesus comes.
Giving ultimatum to government is a way to get a share of the national cake you say. Then the president was right to ask him to complete the project. Truthfully, who told you those people voted for the president to be in power? If you want to demonstrate, go ahead, after all its your time not mine. Its high time you start doing meaningful things with your life than always threatening someone appointed or elected into government.
These youth should think well. They should even thank the President for taking this project to its current stage. They should tell us the level of completion in January 2017 and the level now as we speak. Mahama had about 3 years to complete that project but chose to abandon it until he left office and for Akuffo Addos government to source for another funding to get it to this level, deserves commendation. The chief of Aflao was wrong in the first place talking to minority parliamentarians, the very people who abandoned the project for Akuffo Addo to continue and issuing ultimatum to the government. That was disrecpectful to the government. Now to those youth who want to demonstrate, think twice and get something meaningful doing or you can demonstrate tp the sea.
The article is even political…, Peace Fm SMH