Nana Addo Paid Volta Chiefs Gh¢10,000 Not To Condemn Him

Aware that the Volta Region Chiefs were going to discuss the infamous genocidal declaration against Ewes by Kennedy Agyapong and his all-die-be-die violence mantra, which would have bad implications for him, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, quickly organized a package of GH¢10,000 and assorted drinks, and dashed to Ho, to customarily present it to the chiefs prevailed upon them not to condemn him.

Reports reaching The Herald indicate that most of the Volta Chiefs did not like the idea that Nana Addo virtually burst into their usual meeting to talk about politics. According to them, Nana Addo should have had the courtesy to inform them way ahead of time of his desire to meet them.

Though they felt insulted by the ambush, the chiefs for diplomatic reasons decided not to raise their sentiments, and objection, but to hear him. The Registrar of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, Clement Kojotse, has confirmed to The Herald that only two chiefs from the Region were informed of Nana Addo’s request, but the rest only got to know of his visit minutes to the meeting.

Meanwhile, The Herald is working on the veracity of the claim that Nana Addo’s meeting with the chiefs, was instigated by a prominent businessman in Accra, name withheld, who wanted to display his influence over the Volta chiefs to the NPP bigwigs.

Amongst the chiefs who attended the meeting were Togbe Afede of the Asogli Traditional Area, Togbe Teprehodo of Anfoegah Traditional area, Krachiwura Nana Pesemuna, Togbi Fiati of Aflao, Osie Adza Tekpor VII of Avetime and a host of Queen mothers.

It is not clear whether chiefs for the Anlo Traditional Area including the chief of Alakple Torgbi Kporku, who a fortnight ago, publicly condemned Kennedy Agyapong, describing him as a “Congenital lunatic” attended the meeting.

The Herald’s information has it that on Wednesday, May 2, 2012, the Registrar of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs had a letter from Akufo-Addo, stating his intended visit on Friday, May 4, 2012, the day the chiefs were schedule to deliberate on several developmental issues, including the genocidal declarations for the extermination of their people in the Ashanti Region, who are sojourning there for economic, marriage and other reasons.

The registrar has confirmed in an interview with The Herald that he received Nana Addo’s letter on Wednesday, and informed the President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, Togbe Afede and his vice, Nana Soglo Allo IV, Otekple of Likpe Traditional Area, of Akufo-Addo’s intention to meet them on Friday.

He, however, could not inform the other chiefs in the region. The Chiefs did not get the information of Akufo-Addo’s visit to the House; they walked into the House that Friday May 4, 2012, to meet him sitting there.

“It was a big sign of disrespect to us, and for several reasons most of us decided not to raise the issue, but at the appropriate time we shall do that” one of the chiefs confided in The Herald.

He wondered if Akufo-Addo, who claims to be a royal, would burst onto the Asantehene and the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs virtually unannounced.

But one thing was clear, and that was Akufo-Addo’s posturing in addressing them was not in the best taste. His over confidence betrayed his arrogance.

Meanwhile, Akufo-Addo is said to have left the Chiefs having achieved what he set out to do, as the chiefs issued a statement without condemning him although he is the inspirer of the ethnocentric comments as far as the NPP is concerned.

The statement by the chief rather dwelled on the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North, Kennedy Agyepong for his outrageous ethnocentric declaration that Ewes and Gas in the Ashanti Region must be killed in the run up to the December 2012 elections.

It is widely believed that the MP’s ethnocentric sentiments were inspired but what his flagbearer had said that Akans who formed the NPP were not cowards who hid under their beds during battles, and that they were men of valour, adding that during the Atiwa by-elections, the NPP exhibited a little bravery.

And his subsequent political inspirational slogan of “all-die-be-die,” exposed his desire to foment chaos in this country unless he is elected as president in the December 20212 elections.

Nana Addo told the Chiefs, “I want to state here, though, with all the emphasis at my command, that I do not have any ethnic agenda to promote, and will not condone any such agenda. Recently, when I was out of the country in the United States, a great controversy occurred which created a great storm. My party issued a statement on it and I fully endorse the sentiments expressed by my party in that statement, which binds all members of the NPP.”

He said he “Believes that public interest demands that we allow the matter to be resolved there, and not continue to fan the issues generated by the statement”.

“I want to say, here and now, that I am unequivocally committed to peace in our country,” he stressed.

He said “The peace, freedom and stability in the country are far more important than anybody’s ambition, including mine.”

He continued that “We have made many strides, but equally so we have made many mistakes, made wrong turns politically, socially and economically over the last 55 years…there are bound to be differences among us, but these differences of opinion should not shake our allegiance to Ghana. Ghana must be first and foremost in all our dealings and thinking.

He added that “We must be proud to celebrate our differences and even share the occasional harmless jokes about where we come from, but we should never allow the riches of our differences to become a currency of spite and hate.”

“In our race for economic development, the competition is not with each other. In other words, it is not between NDC and NPP or Dagombas and Kokonbas, Fantes and Gas, or Ashantis and Ewes, or Akyems and Krobos. The competition is with China, with South Africa, Malaysia, Korea, India, Brazil and other countries in the global economic space. We should never forget this.

“But, I will be the first to admit that beyond the programmes and policies of the NPP to develop every part of the nation, the posture, attitudes and utterances of our party members are critical to developing this hopefully growing bond between the NPP and Voltarians,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, the Volta Regional House of Chiefs has issued a statement condemning Kennedy Agyepong’s genocidal declarations, carefully taking Akufo-Addo out of it.

The ten paragraph statement essentially implored “Voltarians to stay calm and treat the insignificant, but supposedly honourable Mr. Agyepong’s effusions with the contempt they deserve.

“We believed”, the statement said, “they were the expressions of his personal desires only. Voltarians should be assured that Volta Region will continue to be relevant in the process, and will forever remain part of a peaceful, indivisible Ghana”.

“Finally,” said the statement, “we believe that those who cannot be happy about the peaceful co-existence of our various ethnic groups do not belong here. We advise that they leave peace-loving Ghanaians alone, and go seek happiness outside of the borders of Ghana.”