The 2008 presidential candidate for the Convention People’s Party, Dr Papa Kwesi Ndoum is not the least happy about political parties extending their campaigns to social occasions. Over the weekend, the flagbearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party clashed with President John Mills at the Oguaa fetu Afahye leading to reports that Nana Addo was virtually snubbed by the president, the Omanhene of the Oguaa Traditional Area including the master of ceremony. The scenario was a re-enactment of what happened exactly two years ago when the body guards of then president John Kufuor clashed with body guards of Prof Mills who was then a presidential candidate for the National Democratic Congress at the same function.

Dr Papa Kwesi Ndoum decried what is gradually becoming a part of Ghana’s politics, where political parties will want to use any social occasion to their political advantage. Dr Ndoum, who hails from Cape Coast, said he personally witnessed the 2008 incident, describing it as unfortunate and embarrassing. Even though a precedent was somehow set in 2008, Dr Ndoum said the practice must come to an end.

Speaking on the Big Bite on X FM, today, Dr Ndoum said the onus falls on the political leaders to ensure that festival grounds are not used as rally grounds. He said the planning committees of the various traditional authorities should adhere to strict procedures during such occasions and be firm with political leaders who will want to take advantage of traditional occasions like festivals. He says even if political leaders should be present, all must be seated before the arrival of the president so that what happened over the weekend between the bodyguards of president John Mills and Nana Addo will not be repeated. “Members of the planning committees should inform the master of ceremony of all prominent persons scheduled to attend a particular event and all must be acknowledged appropriately,” Dr Ndoum said. This he said will ensure that no one is aggrieved.

Dr Papa Kwesi Andoh is also not happy that the incident has drowned all the developmental needs that the traditional leader put before the president. He said the Central Region is one of the few regions in the country that is very underdeveloped but the problem is being shelved and prominence given to the incident. “I come from the area, the Central Region has a huge educational problem. The people need jobs, our children are not going to school and many other problems. All the important matters that the chief put on the table have all been drowned up; and it is about this conflict,” Papa Kwesi decried, adding that such conflicts always work up to the disadvantage of the region.