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16.04.2012 General News

Curses have no effect on governance -Kumasi Mayor

16.04.2012 LISTEN
By Ghanaian Chronicle

By: Sebastian R. Freiku, Kumasi
The Mayor of Kumasi, Samuel Sarpong, has rubbished the purported invocation of the river goddess Nyamaa of Antoa in the Ashanti Region against the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) and its agents, over the construction of stores around some parts of the Kejetia Lorry terminal.

Angry drivers, operating on the Kejetia terminal, recently invoked three powerful river deities, including Antoa Nyamaa, against the city authorities and the contractor, as well as the owner of the project, and all workers concerned with the project.

They claim the site for the proposed project was the only available ventilated space at the lorry terminal.

According to Kwame Owusu, spokesperson of the aggrieved drivers, there was no way they would allow work to continue, but the KMA boss says curses have no effect on governance.

'If curses had effect on governance, Presidents and CEO's of government institutions would have died from their commissions and omissions in their tenure of office long ago,' he explained.

He told listeners of Hello FM's 'Akokoabon' programme last Saturday that the development of Kumasi was paramount, and remained a top priority of the KMA, and that curses or no curses, the development of Kumasi must go on without any hindrance.

Mr. Sarpong indicated that the development of Kumasi was on course, and nobody could stop it. The Mayor, however, reminded residents of Kumasi that the practice of invoking a curse to assert one's claims or rights was a taboo in the Ashanti Kingdom. He said it was forbidden and, that whoever indulged in it did so at his own risk.

Meanwhile, the Mayor has indicated that the KMA and the aggrieved drivers had been meeting with the Nsumankwa Division of the Manhyia Palace to reverse the curse, and resolve the impasse.

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