Chiefs rally Western North indigenes to vote against Akufo-Addo and NPP

Indigenes of newly created Western North region have cited President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for playing them for fools after the massive support the area gave the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2016 elections.

According to the natives, the NPP government is only interested in their votes and nothing else.

The President of the Chirano Traditional Council, Okogyeman Kwaku Gyamprah II who is rallying his subjects, expressed regret at the turn of events and lamented the neglect and disrespect to the hardworking sons and daughters of the region in appointments of sector ministers, chief executives and board members among others.

Government, he said, has failed or perhaps blatantly refused to give the region a ministerial, deputy ministerial or even a chief executive position despite the bloated ministerial portfolios.

Okogyeman Kwaku Gyamprah II made these bitter complaints in a speech he delivered when former President John Dramani Mahama visited the traditional council as part of his tour of the region.

The people of Western North, he said, can only nurse their regrets of voting the NPP but indicated they are patiently waiting for 2020 to right the wrong.

The chiefs and the people, he said, have learnt a lot from the treatment being meted out to them by government and will equally advise themselves in the impending elections because this time there is basis to compare the four-year performances of the NDC and NPP.

Fairness and equity, he said, demands regional balance in the appointment of officials and distribution of developments and urged Mr Mahama to keep that in mind when he takes the mantle in 2021.

He stated that the chiefs and people of the region were taken aback when the only Chief Executive from the region, Alfred Obeng Boateng, had his appointment as CEO of BOST terminated.

This, he said, was a very strange development especially when all the people who were cleared through investigations under the ruling government are all at post.

“Deputy Sports Minister Mr Pius Enam Hadzede was called and reassigned to Ministry of Information after he had been cleared and the CEO of Ghana Maritime Authority, Mr Kwame Owusu had been reassigned recently to Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) after he had been cleared.”

The following appointees had allegations of corruption levelled against them but did not lose their jobs on the basis of mere allegations.”

“Mr Ken Ofori-Attah (Finance Minister), Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor (Deputy Chief of Staff), Mr Asensu Boakye (Deputy Chief of Staff) and Ms Frances Essiam (Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company).

“But our son, though he was equally cleared by the BNI and National Security through similar investigations, he alone is still not reinstated”

He averred that people of the region are not wrong to question the basis of the injustice and unfair treatment being bestowed on them and stressed, “Is it because the ruling government considers Sefwi as a minority group?”

“Let me remind the government of the proverb that, “The game collapses when the fool becomes wise.”

Okogyeman Kwaku Gyamprah III commended former President Mahama for the massive provision and distribution of infrastructure across the country during his regime.

He demanded assurance from the NDC flagbearer that he will not deny Western North their fair share of the national cake when voted into power in 2020.