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12.06.2012 NPP

NPP Condemns Regional Minister

12.06.2012 LISTEN
By Daily Guide

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) branch in the Abura Asebu Kwamankese Constituency of the Central Region has described the Central Regional Minister, Comfort Ama Benyiwa Doe, as a shameful person whose actions must be condemned by Ghanaians.

According to the branch, the unguarded statement by the minister that implied that the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, was the cause of the conflict between Ewes and their Fante neighbours at Ekumfi Narkwa recently, was appalling and must be condemned.

'We have had Jacob Arthur, Isaac Edumadze and Nana Ato Arthur since 1993 as regional ministers but none of them has brought shame, disunity, discord and incompetency to the Office of the Central Regional Minister than Mrs. Ama Benyiwa Doe,' they stated.

This was contained in a release issued to the media in reaction to a statement made by the Central Regional Minister last week.

Ama Benyiwa Doe had claimed that the recent clashes between the Ewes and the Fantes at Ekumfi Narkwa over the murder of the Ebusuapanyin of the Asona Royal Family, Nana Kojo Eguasiah, were as a result of Mr. Agyapong's alleged comment that Akans should attack Ewes.

The release, signed by the Constituency Chairman of the party, Kingsley Kofi Karikari, stated that Benyiwa Doe's comments showed how incompetent she was as the regional minister and the chairperson of the Central Regional Security Council.

Mr. Karikari noted that the regional minister's outburst was uncalled for and was a sign of gross disrespect of the chiefs.

The constituency chairman disclosed that the region needed peace and development and not divide and rule tactics that would derail it from its total development, adding the minister had sown a seed of discord between communities, chiefs and people of the region through her bad behaviour.

He has therefore called for the immediate dismissal of the minister to safeguard the image of the region.

'We need peace in Central Region; we need development and above all, the divide and rule tactics must stop. We need a competent regional minister who would unify the people of the region and harness the best of our abilities for the development of our beautiful region,' he said.

Mr. Karikari expressed concern about the way the regional minister had attempted to stop the Omanhen of Asebu Traditional Area, Okatakyi Dr. Amenfi VII and his Council of Elders from honouring the former president, John Agyekum Kufuor, this year.

He bemoaned Ama Benyiwa Doe's consistent use of her power and influence to abuse and disrespect most of the chiefs in the region, citing an instance where she embarked upon a tour of the Abura Asebu Kwamankese District and kept the chiefs and people of Moree waiting from noon to 5:00pm and allegedly insulted the chiefs for inquiring why she had kept them waiting for so long.

 From: Sarah Owusu-Darlington, Cape Coast

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