Ho, June 23, GNA - The Asogli Traditional Council on Monday said tribal undertones put on statements made by Togbe Afede XIV, at a durbar in honour of President John Evans Atta Mills on April 18 were in bad-taste and must be rejected.

A statement signed by Togbe Osei Tutu IV, Togbe Kwaku Ayim IV and Togbe Dadzawa III, Paramount Chiefs of the Matse, Ziavi and Shia Traditional areas said the council did not think Togbe Afede said anything untoward to warrant the attacks on his person in the media especially the FM stations.

It said attempts to give tribal connotations to Togbe Afede's cry over long years of neglect of the Volta Region in terms of development were misplaced and meant to create disaffection for him. The Asogli Traditional Council Statement said Volta Region was multi-ethnic and that chiefs representing the Ewes, Guans, Akans, Dangbes, Konkombas among others were there when Togbe Afede spoke and were unanimous that his views were a true reflection of their views. It said any avid follower of events in the region, and perhaps Ghana could not fail to recognize that Togbe Afede, since his installation had been a vehement critic of ineptitude, injustice and championed the fight against poverty and ignorance in society and was therefore only being himself at the durbar.

The statement alleged that Volta Region as an administrative unit had suffered deprivations in the form of projects being re-assigned out of the region for no sustainable reasons and its chiefs refused protocols made available to chiefs from other areas.

It concluded therefore that Togbe Afede had a point to make, which he made on the day the chiefs hosted President Mills.

Criticisms of Togbe Afede's statement had earlier sparked demonstrations and a flurry of statements from chiefs of the Asogli State, which he reigns over as the Agbogbogbome Fia. Togbe Afede is also the President of the Asogli Traditional Council and President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs.