Akwasi Ankama, Alias Johnny Walker Dazzles Prince Of Peace Congregation At Abomoso.

Politics, even though, is said to be a dirty game, it can as well be quite interesting when the dramatic personae decide to play it according to its rules. Such a thing was replicated at Abomoso Prince of Peace Presbyterian Church during the Annual Harvest and Thanksgiving Service of the Church on Sunday, 30th November, 2008. It was an occasion which brought together most of the ‘lost’ sons and daughters of the town.

The occasion was graced by the Chief of Abomoso and Pomaasehene, Osabarima Ameyaw II who was Guest of Honour, Mr. Frank Ayim Damptey (MD of Tata Beverages Company Limited}- Chairman, Honourable Kwasi Agyapong (District Chief Executive of Atiwa District), Akwasi Ankama, Special aide to Chief of Staff and Minister of Presidential Affairs and a host of others. Akwasi Ankama is the aspiring MP on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party.

An amount of GH 6,100 Cedis was realized at the end of the function. But the Senior Presbyter, Mr. Charles Akomaning Damptey told me that the figure was likely to go up because some of the envelopes given out were yet to be returned. The Harvest was in aid of the new Church Building. The entire congregation was in an ecstatic mood because this is the first time [since the establishment of the church] that the figure has passed the GH 4000 Cedis mark and this, they attribute it to the ingenuity of the new Pastor, Rev. E.E. Abosi.

What added further attraction to the whole event was the entry of the aspiring MP on the ticket of the NPP, Akwasi Ankama. Even though, the church is not a place to be politicking, almost the entire congregation went into frenzy and started doing the Kangaroo dance. Infact, when the brass band which escorted him into the church started playing “aha mpo nie na osoro ho” (if it is like this on this earth, how would it be when we get to Heaven?) the excitement knew no bound. The entire space was taken over by kangaroo dancers. Numerous attempts to control the situation yielded no positive response and so the natural trend of affairs was allowed to continue. Kwesi Ankama, in company of his campaign team, followed by the congregation danced their hearts out. At the end of it all, Rev. Abosi called him and his team out and asked the congregation to pray for the smooth success of his ambition and the entire electioneering exercise. Akwasi Ankama thanked the congregation for granting him audience and appealed to all and sundry to make it their constitutional duty to go out and cast their votes on Sunday, 7th December, 2008. He made his personal donation and made his exit amidst thunderous applause.

There is something unique about the Atiwa Constituency. It recorded the least number of votes for the NDC throughout the country during the last Presidential and Parliamentary elections. No wonder the NDC candidate who hails from Tumfa has never attempted to come anywhere near Abomoso to campaign.

When I went round the town, and its environs I saw only one posture of Atta Mills. The town people told me there is only one known NDC member with his family in the town. It is not that the people are not receptive to other political parties. No, but the people have so much imbibed the good things emanating from the NPP manifesto, that they cannot embrace any other political party. This is the simple truth. Atta Mills went to Kwabeng, the District Capital but spent less than four minutes there. His message, which did not receive much attention was that “Mete ase oo minwu ye oo”. “I am alive. I am not yet dead”. He then alluded to Nana Akufo Addo’s inability to stop there during his campaign tour of the District.

The truth of the matter was that, the people in Atiwa told Nana and the Parliamentary candidate not to bother to campaign in the area for victory was already assured. For Nana, they said it emphatically that his good works speak a lot about him. Even then, he personally went to some towns and villages to solicit for their votes. The District campaign rally was held at Abomoso. His wife and other members of his Campaign Team went to other places to campaign. The flag-bearer could not tour the entire District all by himself. And so, the day of reckoning is coming when all the aspirants will give account of their stewardship. But for the Atiwa constituency, there is bound to be no surprises. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo and Akwasi Ankama are already winners. Want to contradict me?

Daniel Danquah Damptey Danieldanquah_damptey@yahoo.com