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The Asogli State Council has described as mere lies the allegations against the Paramount Chief and the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, Togbe Afede XIV by the host of Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana, Paul Adom-Otchere.

A statement issued by the Asogli State Council in response to several allegations made on the Show by the host against the Paramount Chief said: “specific allegations he made cannot be ignored” albeit it would ordinarily not respond to comments from Paul Adom Otchere, knowing who he is.

This comes on the back of Togbe Afede XIV’s return of the sum of GH¢365,392.67 paid to him as ex-gratia by the state for serving on the Council of State between 2017 and 2020.

Asogli State Council Response to Adom-Otchere

1. The numbers Paul AdormOtchere presented on Togbe’s attendance at meetings of the Council of State are both incorrect and misleading and are a disingenuous attempt to discredit Togbe’s performance at the Council. We challenge him to provide the Council’s attendance register from which he compiled his numbers for all to know the truth.

The Council had three committees, one of which Togbe chaired, the Economy and Special Development Initiatives Committee. And Togbe had an excellent plenary meeting attendance record.

2. Togbe did not take a loan from Government. SG Bank offered commercial loans to Council members, which Togbe has fully repaid.

3. Togbe presented himself as a resident of Accra and did not claim any transport allowances from the Council.

4. Togbe did not say the Ex Gratia payments were illegal. He believes part-time work by our senior citizens should not merit Ex Gratia payment by our poor country.

5. Finally, Togbe’s rejection of the Ex Gratia payment is not a partisan political matter.

The Paramount Chief and the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, Togbe Afede XIV has given explanations for rejecting over GH¢365,000 paid to him as ex-gratia for serving on the Council of State between 2017 and 2020.

In a reaction to the speculation over the refund of his ex-gratia, Togbe Afede XIV said he was “uncomfortable” with the inappropriate payment of the money.

“I did not think the payment was made to trap me, as is being speculated,” Togbe Afede XIV said in the statement.

“I believe it was paid to everybody who served on the Council of State. However, I thought that extra payment was inappropriate for a short, effectively part-time work, for which I received a monthly salary and was entitled to other privileges. So, I was very uncomfortable with it,” he added.