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Saturday, August 8, 2009

Former House of Chiefs president blasts Chronicle









ODENEHO GYAPONG Ababio IV, immediate past president of the National House of Chiefs and Paramount Chief of Sefwi-Bekwai Traditional Area in the Western Region, has described as a blatant lie, the assertion that he was accorded a cold reception during the recent visit of President John Evans Atta Mills to Sefwi-Wiawso as was reported by the Chronicle newspaper.

The 1st August 2009 edition of the Chronicle, last Saturday, carried a story on its front page with the banner headline, “After Openly Campaigning For NPP, Cold Reception For Odeneho Ababio During Mills Tour of Western Region.”

The paper alleged that all courtesies due the former President of the National House of Chiefs were stripped off at the durbar of Chiefs and people of the Sefwi-Wiawso Traditional Area in honour of Prof. Mills.

Odeneho condemned what he referred to as an alleged plan hatched by the Chronicle newspaper and its reporters to discredit him and drag his name in the mud since that was not the first time the paper had published false stories about him.

He recalled a story that the paper carried prior to the December 2008 elections, which alleged that the traditional leader mounted a platform in his traditional area and openly campaigned for the then flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

He denied ever campaigning openly for the NPP or its flagbearer when he visited Sefwi-Wiawso, but said he only appealed to Nana Akufo-Addo that if he became the president, he should consider creating a new district for the people of Bekwai, since the existing Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai District was too large.

At a press conference to refute the erroneous impression being created by the Chronicle newspaper, the Paramount Chief explained that prior to the President's visit, the chiefs in the region were informed about two durbars that would be organized; one in Takoradi for the Chiefs in the southern part and another at Sefwi-Wiawso for chiefs in the northern part of the region.

He revealed that the durbar at Sefwi-Wiawso was supposed to commence at 11:00 am and when he got to the durbar grounds with his sub-chiefs and “kete” drummers at about 10:00 am, the entire durbar grounds was full so another canopy was quickly mounted for them.

He added that President Mills and his entourage got to the durbar grounds at about 1:30 pm and was led by the Regional Minister, Paul Evans Aidoo, stressing, “The President greeted the people beginning with the chiefs.”

Odeneho Ababio noted that when President Mills got to where he was sitting, he greeted him and even had a hearty chat with him and also wished him well in his administration.

He therefore denied ever feeling uncomfortable, uneasy or could not smile or giggle during the durbar, noting that it was untrue that none of the dignitaries had a chat with him as was alleged in the Chronicle story.

On the issue of him not given the opportunity to give the welcome address on behalf of the Chiefs, Odeneho explained that since the durbar was on the soil of the people of Sefwi-Wiawso, it was appropriate for Nana Kwame Nkrumah I, Adontenhene of Sefwi-Wiawso, to have performed that assignment since that place was under his jurisdiction.

He intimated that as a Chief and a Ghanaian, he had every right to affiliate himself with any of the political parties in the country, but not to partake in active politics.

Odeneho Ababio further cited an instance in President's speech at the durbar, where he mentioned that he was now the President of all Ghanaians, irrespective of their political party, even though he was an NDC member.

In the same way, he disclosed that traditional rulers were to support every government that comes to power since they were partners in development, adding that the Chronicle story was untrue and misleading and wondered why the reporter could not approach him for clarification.

From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi
Source: Daily Guide - Daily Guide



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