Politics of Saturday, 21 May 2005

Source: GNA

Don't use democratic dispensation as excuse- Chief

Apam, May 21, GNA - The Paramount Chief of Gomoa Akyempim Traditional Area, Obrifo Ahunako Ahor Ankobea II has advised Ghanaians not to take the country's democratic dispensation as a licence to cause trouble.

Democracy is not an open licence for indiscipline, Obrifo Ankobea stated Speaking in an interview with Ghana News Agency at Apam, the Paramount Chief expressed disappointment about a report on an FM station on Wednesday attributed to some executive of the New Patriotic Party in Gomoa District that the re-nomination of Ms Joyce Aidoo as district chief executive was in bad taste.

He appealed to the leadership of the party in the district to apologize to the President Mr. J.A. Kufuor and Ms Aidoo for the behaviour of some of the executives, whose names were not mentioned in the report.

Obrifo Ankobea appealed to the party to conduct its activities in a manner that would as not to disturb the peace of the people. "Explore the party's laid down procedures to seek redress of your grievances", the chief advised.

He reminded them of an adage in Akan, which literally means "there is no bad chief but bad advisors", and said if they accused a DCE for non-performance, the party executives who are expected to advise the DCE could not escape blame.

Obrifo Ankobea condemned the attitude of some people who wanted to create a division in the district and said that the fact that the district had two constituencies did not mean the people were different. "We are one people with a common destiny," he said.