Nobody can gag me from speaking my mind - Okyenhene

Paramount Chief of the Akyem Abuakwa State, Okyenhene Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panyin II, has stated that no amount of vilification and demonisation will dissuade him from commenting on issues of national concern.

Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panyin reportedly told the Akyem Abuakwa State Council at a meeting held at Old Tafo in the Eastern region on Friday that: “I will not confine my views to my palace as some critics wish me to do by asking me to mind my own business”.

The President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs further stressed: “Some of us have a tough skin and are impervious to vilification and maligning of our person”.

He added: “I will continue to speak about national issues until there is a change and the proper things are done”.

Amoatia Ofori Panin’s outburst appears to be a veiled and subtle response to an avalanche of criticism hurled at him by the Eastern regional branch of the governing NDC in February, after he urged President John Mahama in a meeting, to declare his willingness to accept the verdict of the Supreme Court on the ongoing election fraud case.

Commenting on government’s intention to pass a law for Mayors, Municiapal and District Chief Executives to be elected, he said: “That’s the way it should be because the president has over 5,700 to appoint so if a mere 300 out of that huge vacancy is allowed to be chosen by the ordinary Ghanaian, then that will shore up accountability to the people at the district level”.

In attendance were all divisional and sub-chiefs in the traditional area who discussed, among other things, how to expand infrastructure in the traditional area.