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Togbe Afede on why he was yanked from Farmers Day programme
Togbe Afede on why he was yanked from Farmers Day programme

Togbe Afede reveals he was yanked from Farmers Day programme [AUDIO]

The President of the National House of Chiefs, the Agbogbomefia Togbe Afede XIV, has revealed that his name was yanked from the programme for this year's National Farmers Day held in Ho at the eleventh hour.

Although, he did not assign any reason as to why his name was taken off whilst he was speaking at a meeting of the National House of Chiefs in Kumasi on Thursday morning [December 12, 2019], it is believed that it was apparently due to the statement issued by the National House of Chiefs on the rejection of partisan politics at the local level ahead of the withdrawn December 17th referendum.

Graphic Online’s Kumasi correspondent, Daniel Kenu reports that Togbe Afede, who is also the Paramount Chief of the Asogli Traditional Area said he had been informed he was going to be the chairman of the programme which was held in Ho on Friday, December 6, 2019.

Play audio to listen to Togbe Afede {mp3}Togbe Afede on Farmers Day name removal from programme{/mp3}

And indeed, he traveled to Ho a day earlier, only for his name to be removed from the list at the last minute, he said.

Recounting the processes that led to the issuance of the statement to members at the final meeting of the House for the year, Togbe Afede said the reactions by Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi, Chief of the Sefwi Anhwiaso Traditional Area and President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs was unfortunate, misleading and mostly untrue.

Togbe Afede said following thorough discussions on the matter by members, it was referred to the Governance and Development Committee of which Ogyeahoho Gyebi was the chairman.

Indeed, according to Togbe Afede, the matter was referred to the committee on two occasions, therefore, it will be wrong for Ogyeahoho Gyebi to say he knew nothing about it and members were not consulted.

Strangely, the three chiefs who criticised the statement publicly, Nana Professor S. K. B. Asante, the Asokoremanhene, the Okyenhen, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin II and Ogyeaboho Gyebi were all absent at Thursday's meeting.

The House subsequently, removed Ogyeahoho Gyebi as the Chair of the Governance and Development Committee with immediate effect, because according to Togbe, it was the second time he had gone public to criticise a unanimous decision taken by the House.

The other two were spared but the Naba Sigri Bewag, Sekoti Naba, insisted they apologise for bringing the name of the House into disrepute.

Togbe Afede said in the said statement, the house never canvased for a 'NO' vote but rather based on the legal committee's report (presented by Nana Prof S.K. B. Asante), it called for rejection of partisan politics at the local level.

He said the statement from the House had come out earlier before the NDC's 'NO' vote canvas and therefore, the two could not be linked.

The President of the National House of Chiefs said he was committed to doing the best for Ghana and the House and did not become president to mislead the views of the House.

Judge

A Supervising High Court Judge, Justice Kofi Akrowiah, admonished traditional rulers to try and stay off partisan politics to earn the respect of all Ghanaians and promote unity.

He told the House that it was necessary for them to maintain their neutrality no matter the provocation.

Justice Akrowiah who was in the House to swear in a new member, Tuluwe Wura Sulemana Rashid Mahama, said the confusion that followed the statement from the House on the now cancelled national referendum on whether or not partisan politics should be allowed at local level elections was unnecessary and avoidable.

He said the role of chiefs in sustaining the country's democracy was crucial which calls for common purpose, unity and objectivity.

The judge urged members to stand by decisions taken by the House even if they do not agree to avoid mockery and disrespect in the public domain.

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