Our votes, bargaining chip for development — Togbui Fiti V
The Paramount Chief of the Aflao Traditional Area, Togbui Amenya Fiti V, has said that the votes garnered by the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the constituency in the 2012 elections are a bargaining chip for accelerated development in the area.
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According to him, the immediate focus of the traditional area in the Ketu South constituency was quickening the developmental pace of the area, adding that his people were always prepared to throw their weight behind any political entity that convinced them of the prioritisation of their development needs when voted into power.
Speaking at this year’s 44th Godigbe Festival of the people of Aflao, he said the developmental priorities of the area would not be mortgaged for any other expediency other than the need for the speedy development of the area.
He recounted that the people of the area voted massively for the NDC in last year’s general elections because of the party promised to establish a teacher training college and a senior high school in the area.
The gates of the area, he said, were opened to any political party, adding that the people of Aflao were guided by the principle of permanent interests and not permanent friends.
“I cannot stick my neck out for any single political party”, he stressed, drawing applause from the large gathering.
This year’s festival witnessed a lot of foreign presence in the persons of various chiefs and kings from different parts of the African continent.
Notable among them were King Munongo Mwenda and his wife Queen Ceila Mwenda of Bayeke Kingdom in the Democratic Republic of Congo, King Tossoh Bagidi of Savalou Kingdom in Benin, and Torgbui Agorkorli IV of Notsie, Togo. Torgbui Fiti V said that chieftaincy in modern-day Africa must be geared towards building alliances that would inure to the corporate benefit of the led.
In this regard, he announced that his counterpart from the Democratic Republic of Congo, King Munongo Mwenda, whose father owns the TP Mazembe football team, had proposed to set up a brewery at Aflao while he the king asked for the services of the Aflao Diamond Cement to be extended to his country, comparing the comparatively cheaper cost of the cement produced by the company.
In a reconciliatory gesture, Torgbui Fiti called for the people to forgive some persons who had attempted fomenting trouble in the area recently, saying they acted out of ignorance and needed to be forgiven.
King Munongo Mwenda, who chaired the function, said the people of the African continent shared a common history, adding that the geopolitics of today must not be allowed to divide the continent any further.
“Let’s continue to use such opportunities for cultural exchange and to collaborate to build a prosperous future for our people. Let’s keep on working together,” he urged.
For his part, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Mr Fiifi Kwetey, commented that the calibre of invitees that had graced the festival was an attestation of the network that Torgbui had built towards the benefit of his people.
He reminded chiefs of their roles as custodians of culture which should not be limited only to dressing and celebrations but rather on a strong set of beliefs that would help transform the nation.
“Let’s rethink our culture to see how it impacts on our development. Any culture that witnesses deviance is not the best. We must have an open-minded culture. We must not have the kind of culture that pulls down successful people but that which encourages others to strive for excellence,” he urged.
Government, he said, cannot perform a miracle unless the people have the right mentality, giving the assurance that Aflao, being the National Democratic Congress (NDC) World Bank, would not be neglected.
He, however, called on the people to rally behind the newly confirmed Municipal Chief Executive for the area, Mr Pascal Lamptey, to lead the front in championing the development of the area.