Communications Director of the NPP, who doubles as the incumbent Member of Parliament for Okaikoi South, Nana Akomea described the development as worrying and catalogued a number of instances that government created the false impression that certain chiefs had endorsed their programmes.
First was a recent claim that Okyeman Council had endorsed the government of the NDC, which has led to protests from chiefs of the traditional area.
The chiefs have since denied ever making any such endorsement of the government.
The chief of Goaso in the Brong Ahafo region has also been battling to clarify a similar endorsement of the government that was attributed to him this week.
Considering the fact that chiefs have always welcomed every government with open arms, Nana Akomea stated that ‘the recent phenomenon where such statements are represented to mean endorsements of ruling governments risk bringing our chiefs into partisan politics, and into disrepute’ since according to him, ‘our chiefs are our traditional rulers, custodians of our land and our culture. In this unique position, they have been insulated from partisan politics’.
Apart from that, he stated, ‘Our chiefs, during all governments, have made statements of welcome and appreciation to Presidents or Heads of State and government officials in appreciation of development/social projects in their districts or traditional areas’, emphasising, ‘Every government, through the district assemblies, engages in various development projects, throughout the country.’
The Communications Director of the NPP enumerated a number of developmental projects executed by the previous NPP government in the year 2008 alone in Asunafo district where Goaso is situated.
These included a 3-unit classroom block at Alavanyo, 3-unit classroom block at Norbekaw, 3-unit classroom block at Kasapin, school block at Mim, community clinics at Gyasikrom, hospital theatre at the Goaso hospital and a 6-unit classroom block at Adomakofrom.
The rest included the rehabilitation of Goaso High Court, area council block at Sankore, 3-unit classroom block at Kuokooso, 3-unit classroom block at Kamirekrom, 3-unit classroom block at Pomaakrom and 3-unit classroom block at Denyase.
For this reason, Nana Akomea said, ‘If government intends using district developmental projects as propaganda strategy, this should not be done with the risk of dragging our revered chiefs into partisan politics’ since in his opinion ‘it brings them into disrepute’.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu
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