Eastern regional NDC, Okyehene in Tango
The Okyehene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin has described comments by the Eastern Regional executive of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) regarding his recent visit to the Presidency as “unfortunate”.
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He also noted that claims that he refused to use the occasion to allude to the legitimacy of the President but addressed a politically- sponsored agenda to make the President pledge to accept the court ruling on the 2012 elections when it was unnecessary, had the potential to “expose him to hatred and must therefore be withdrawn”.
Reacting to the allegations, lawyer for the Okyehene, Mr Kwame A. Boateng, noted that as a chief, the Okyehene spoke against politics of insults and violence and urged both the NDC and the NPP to accept the verdict of the Supreme Court in the case of a petition against the 2012 presidential election.
Last Tuesday, Okyehene the President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs led members of the House to pay a courtesy call on President John Mahama to congratulate him on his assumption of office as the President of the Republic and also to discuss some challenges facing the region with him.
President Mahama made it clear at the meeting that he would respect the verdict of the Supreme Court on the petition challenging the results of the December 7, 2012 presidential polls.
Last Wednesday, three members of the NDC regional executives from the Eastern Region, Mr Sumaila Mahama, Mr Tawiah Boateng and Mr M.M. Doh, Regional Chairman, Organizer and Deputy Secretary respectively, signed a statement condemning the Okyehene for advising the President and other parties to accept the Supreme Court verdict.
Okyehene’s lawyer urged the regional executives to retract the allegation and apologize but if they failed to do so he would be compelled to complain to the national leadership of the party.
In their press statement, the regional executive were of the view that Nananom should have used the occasion to apologize to the President for acts of violence and disrespect perpetuated against him (President) and his entourage during his last visit to the Eastern Region and Kyebi in particular.
The chiefs, the statement said should have also apologised on behalf of their subordinates who were actively involved in campaigning for certain candidates in the last year’s elections.
The statement also expressed concern about comments that the President should have consulted the Regional House of Chiefs before nominating Mr. Julius Debrah as the regional minister- designate which it said suggested a disapproval of his nomination by the region.
“We wish to state without any shred of doubt that the whole region is grateful to the President for nominating Mr Julius Debrah as the Regional Minister and as a party, we are excited because we see the appointment as a recognition of his hard work as Chairman of the NDC in the region as well as his hard work at the Ghana Tourism Authority”, the statement said.
The regional executive of the party also thanked the President for the nominations he had so far made and congratulated Mr Debrah, as well as Mr Seth Terkper and Dr Omane Boamah for their nominations and subsequent confirmation as ministers respectively for Finance and Economic Planning and Communications.
Story by A. Kofoya-Tetteh & Donald Ato Dapatem
