Destroy the ‘offending’ textbooks or we drag you to court – V/R chiefs to publishers

The President of the Volta Region House of Chiefs, Togbe Tepre Hodo IV, has descended heavily on publishers of the new textbooks intended for use in lower primary schools in Ghana.

Though the publishers have rendered an unqualified apology and indicated that the textbooks on the market have not been approved, the House has demanded an unqualified apology “to be rendered to all Ewe speaking citizens of Ghana”.

It has also called on other ethnic groups to condemn “such divisive publications which only serve as a recipe for chaos and disunity”.

It wants the materials withdrawn from circulation and every part destroyed.

“…in the event that this ill-advised publication is discovered anywhere after our demand for the same to be withdrawn from circulation, we hereby serve notice that the Chiefs and people of Ewe ethnic origin, will take appropriate legal measures to ensure that these mischief makers walk on the right side of the law.”

These were contained in a statement issued by Togbe Hodo IV on Monday, March 15.

Find the statement below:

STATEMENT BY THE VOLTA REGION HOUSE OF CHIEFS ON THE DEROGATORY CONTENTS OF A TEXTBOOK INTENTED FOR USE IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN GHANA

The attention of the Volta Region House of Chiefs has been drawn to the contents of a book designed for use by lower classes in the current educational structure.



Some of the contents of the said book, which cast derogatory allusions and innuendos at Ewes, are to say the least, distasteful and a disgrace to the authors and publishers of the said material intended to educate the younger generation of this country.

We deem it highly reprehensible for those responsible for this offensive publication, to harbor such vile thoughts about their fellow citizens of Ghana in the twenty first century.

We therefore unreservedly condemn this singular demonstration of tribal bigotry and prejudice and call on those responsible for the offensive publication, to withdraw the same from circulation and to destroy every part of the offending material. We further demand an unqualified apology from the authors and publishers of this base material to be rendered to all Ewe speaking citizens of Ghana. In addition, we urge other ethnic groups in this country, to condemn such divisive publications which only serve as a recipe for chaos and disunity.

Finally and in the event that this ill-advised publication is discovered anywhere after our demand for the same to be withdrawn from circulation, we hereby serve notice that the Chiefs and people of Ewe ethnic origin, will take appropriate legal measures to ensure that these mischief makers walk on the right side of the law.

Togbe Tepre Hodo IV

President of the Volta Region House of Chiefs.