“Okyeman says ‘Nana Toaso’, you need four more to do more” – Okyenhene

The Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, says Okyenman is solidly united behind the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in his bid to win the December 2020 general elections.

At a durbar held in honour of President Akufo-Addo, on Friday, 2nd October 2020, on the second day of the President’s 3-day tour of the Eastern Region, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin noted that the President has demonstrated that he is, indeed, “a President for all Ghanaians”.

According to the Okyenhene, “all of his (President Akufo-Addo) policies have affected every part of Ghana, and have been of immense benefit to every Ghanaian. This is because he has an ancestry where greed and the love of money is eschewed. Service to the Ghanaian people is what he, President Akufo-Addo, is all about.”

The Chief continued, “The President could have easily been someone whose only motivation in office iss to amass wealth for himself. But, no, he has not done that at all. On the contrary, he has implemented policies that have benefitted us all, and improved our living standards.”

Touching on President Akufo-Addo’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin applauded the seventeen (17) addresses made by the President, which have so far outlined the measures being taken by Government to defeat the pandemic, as well as the steps to ease safely the restrictions.

“He has taught us the importance of observing and adhering to the COVID-19 protocols. We should thank God that, at this stage of our national life, he has given us a leader like him. At the height of the pandemic, he provided us with free water and free electricity. He also gave allowances to frontline health workers. This shows the large generosity of his heart,” he added.

The effective management of the economy over the last three and a half years by the Akufo-Addo Government, he stressed, has ensured that the pandemic, which has wreaked havoc on all economies around the world, did not bring untold hardships to the Ghanaian people.

On Free SHS, the Okyenhene indicated that this policy has ensured that money, or the lack of it, has not denied any Ghanaian child access to education, adding that other policies being initiated by the President such as 1-District-1-Dam, 1-Village-1-Dam, NABCO, the development of road infrastructure, and the Zipline drone delivery service are all bearing fruit.

“He was born into a good home. He begun to believe in the public values of equity, equality, freedom and the pursuit of justice. All these are virtues Nana Addo possesses. It is said that, by their fruits, you shall know them. If his policies are bearing fruit, we, in Okyeman, say ‘Nana toaso,” he added.

To residents of Okyeman, who have been beneficiaries of the President’s policies, the Okyenhene had a word of advice for them.

“If you are from Okyenman or a Ghanaian, and your child is a beneficiary of Free SHS and all the other policies of Government, and you believe there is a new wind of development blowing, and you don’t vote well on December 7…”, he retorted, eliciting a rapturous applause from the gathering.

Vote on my record
On his part, President Akufo-Addo thanked the Okyenhene and Okyeman for the warm welcome accorded to him and his delegation.

He told the gathering that “my Government did not come to do lazy work. All aspects of our national life have benefitted from our policies, be they in health, roads, industrialization, or agriculture. My Government has worked for the benefit of all Ghanaians.”

“I have proven that I did not come to lie to Ghanaians, but to work for the progress and development of Ghana and for all Ghanaians. I am asking the people of Ghana to assess me on the basis of my record, and, if they were satisfied with it, they should give me an opportunity to do more for them by voting for me”.

The President told the gathering further that “I am a man of my word. I did not come to deceive to anyone, and that is what has given me the courage to seek your support in the upcoming elections. This is what will strengthen me to consolidate the gains chalked in my first term.”

Story: Sheila Satori Mensa

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Okyenhene bans ‘alien’ shrines and rituals in Akyem Abuakwa

The Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin has asked all alien shrines in the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area to close down within the next two weeks and put an end to all rituals alien to the area.

He has therefore requested the Ghana Police Service and other security agencies to institute formal measures to intensify and broaden investigations into ritual murders and other criminal activities in the Akyem Abuakwa State

In addition, he wants all migrant fetish priests and their assigns to be subjected to background checks, as well as the retrieval of all ammunitions in wrong hands to ensure the safety of lawful citizens.

Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin was reacting in a statement issued by Mr. Dan Ofori–Atta, the Akyem Abuakwa State Secretary on the recent killing of two persons allegedly by two fetish priests at Mame Dede near Adeiso in the Eastern region.

Background

The police on April 21, 2020, arrested Christian Gameli Lawer, alias Power, 36, and Famous Adorkunu, alias Scorpion, 37, for the murder of two persons.

Following investigations by the police the suspects allegedly admitted having interacted with the missing persons, including Mr. Edward Quartey Papafio, a 64-year-old biochemist, but was later shot and killed on January 15, 2020 at their shrine. The other body recovered there turned out to be one Kwesi Zormelo, a resident of Kasoa in the Central region.

The suspects told the police that the deceased was buried at a particular spot within the shrine and led the police to the place after the latter had secured an exhumation order from the court.

Warning

The Okyenhene ordered all chiefs in Akyem Abuakwa not to lease lands to immigrant traditional priests and their associates and that any “chief irrespective of rank who under whatever circumstance leases lands for the purpose of erecting shrines will face immediate destoolment and other related sanctions”.

“Nananom are also ordered to be fully dedicated to the enforcement of these measures”, he said.

He observed that over the past decade there has been an unperfected influx of immigrant ritualists disguised as traditional priests who have abused the hospitality of Okyeman and engaged in activities that threaten the lives of residents, social order and the health of the national economy.

“For the sake of clarity, alienation of land does not confer jurisdictional authority on the alienee and further the performance of unregulated ritual activities”, the Okyenhene added.

Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin used the opportunity to congratulate the police and other security forces for their handling of the Adeiso incident and further called for their cooperation to erase “this ugly spectacle from the face of Okyeman and other parts of the country.”