Members of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council in the Eastern Region yesterday staged a massive demonstration at Kyebi against ‘the constant attacks’ targeted at the Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, by members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
They said they had observed the unprovoked attacks on the Okyenhene in particular and the Akyems in general for a long time and, therefore, gave the NDC a three-day ultimatum to retract the offensive comment made by the party’s Ashanti Regional Secretary, Kwame Zu, against the Okyenhene or face their wrath.
The peaceful demonstration was massively attended by Akyem Abuakwa chiefs and indigenes as they took over the streets of Kyebi before converging on the forecourt of Ofori Panin Fie, which is Akyem Abuakwa State Palace, to be addressed by Akyem Abuakwa State Secretary, Daniel M. Ofori-Atta.
After the protest march, the council poured libations and slaughtered a ram to pacify the dignity and sanctity of the name of the Okyenhene and Okyeman.
3-Day Ultimatum
According to Mr. Ofori-Atta, the NDC has three days to render unqualified apology by performing a ritual to pacify the Okyenhene and the Okyeman Stool and then take disciplinary action against Kwame Zu as well.
The Okyeman Traditional Council said if the NDC failed to heed to their demands, the party’s national executives, regional, constituency and ward branch executives would be banned from all official functions under the auspices of the Ofori Panin Stool, and the party shall be declared persona non grata in all the 940 towns, villages and settlements in Akyem-Abuakwa.
The aggrieved chiefs also threatened to close down all NDC offices in Akyem lands until the party publicly renders an apology to Okyenhene and Okyeman publicly.
Consequences For Chiefs
At a news conference, Mr. Ofori-Atta warned that any chief in Akyem-Abuakwa who violates the orders, once passed, by entertaining the NDC, would suffer the consequences in the form of destoolment.
Mr. Ofori-Atta listed instances of unprovoked attacks from the leadership of the NDC on Okyenhene which the rank and file of the party are also following.
Calculated Attempts
He mentioned people such as the flag bearer of the NDC, former President John Mahama; the former Chief of Staff of the erstwhile Mahama administration, Julius Debrah; former aide to President Mahama, Stan Dogbe; some Eastern Regional Leaders of the NDC such as former Regional Chairman Tawiah Boateng and former Regional Youth Organiser and Haruna Appaw as some of the leaders who have launched unprovoked attacks on the Okyenhene.
Mahama Leadership
He said there was a calculated attempt by the leadership of the NDC under former President John Mahama to drag the name of the Okyenhene in the mud.
Mr. Ofori-Atta said the Okyenhene, during his 20-year reign, had worked with former Presidents Rawlings and Mills – both leaders of the NDC – but was never abused, an indication that the recent attacks on the Okyenhene by members of the NDC and the silence of the recent leaders suggest that the Mahama leadership of the party has sanctioned the many attacks on the prominent chief.
Kyebi Water
Kwame Zu during an NDC demonstration in Kumasi and without any provocation openly insulted the Okyenhene when he said that it was former President John Mahama who stopped the Okyenhene from drinking water with animals.
He said specifically that the Okyenhene used to compete with animals for water and it was then President Mahama who rescued them by providing potable drinking water for the people of Kyebi which is the hometown of President Akufo-Addo.
In response, Mr. Ofori Atta said that as far back as 1904, the traditional council under the leadership of Nana Sir Ofori-Atta I had built the first Kyebi water project.
He stated that former President Kufuor sought funding from the Austrian government to expand the Kyebi water project and it was continued by the Mills administration albeit through the intervention of the Okyenhene.
He said then President Mahama’s only contribution to the water project was to commission it ahead of the 2012 general election for votes. He urged the NDC to stop ‘insulting’ the Okyenhene using the Kyebi water expansion project.
Okyenman and Asanteman
The Traditional Council also stated that there is a deliberate attempt to sow seeds of discord between Okyeman and Asanteman but the two powerful groups are wide awake and would not fall for it.
“These attacks on the dignity of the Ofori Panin Stool and Okyenhene are getting out of hand and for which we have to stop them,” Mr. Ofori Atta said.
- He also said the Okyenhene has good relations with all political parties and their leaders but could not fathom why the leadership of NDC was in the habit u
