You're robbing the state if you take money for meetings you didn't attend - Adom-Otchere to Togbe Afede

Broadcaster Paul Adom-Otchere has accused the Paramount Chief and the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli, Togbe Afede XIV, of stealing from Ghana. According to him, Togbe Afede stole from the state by taking allowances for the 55 per cent of Council of State meetings he allegedly did not attend. The broadcaster made these remarks while reacting to a publication by investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni. The investigative journalist challenged Adom-Otchere’s allegation that Togbe Afede attended only 18 per cent of Council of State meetings when he was on the council. According to the publication, Togbe Afede missed 55 per cent of Council of State meetings and not 82 per cent of the meetings. But Adom-Otchere, during his Good Evening Ghana show, on October 19, insisted that the publication by Azure is not an exoneration of Togbe Afede. “… your friend Azure in presenting a defence for you (Togbe Afede), said you did not attend 55 per cent of Council of State meetings. But Togbe Afede with your great stature, how can you join the Council of State as the president of the National House of Chiefs and not attend meetings? “Togbe Afede’s position on the Council of State was an important one. He was not just an elected member or appointed by the president. Togbe Afede was representing the National House of Chiefs. So Togbe, you let the taxpayer down and you let the National House of Chiefs down. “You don’t attend 55 per cent of Council of State meetings and you expect us to call you righteous because you returned Council of State money (ex-gratia). No way we are not going to call you righteous, we are going to call you out and ask you to return the money (the allowances), and return the car to the Council of State. “If you tell people that you didn’t take the ex-gratia and we find that you actually took allowance for meetings you did not attend, then that is robbery of the taxpayer,” he added. Togbe Afede XIV, in June 2022, rejected his ex-gratia payment for his work on the Council of State which became a matter of public discourse. According to him, serving on the council should be seen as a privilege and not an avenue to demand compensation. He added the GH¢365,000 ex-gratia was too much since the work was largely part-time and is for only four years which is why he rejected the money. Listen to Adom-Otchere below: You can also watch this episode of People & Places on GhanaWeb TV: IB/BOG