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16.01.2015 Regional News

Appolonia Youth Unhappy With Accra Regional Minister’s Comments

The Youth Insist They Are In Search Of Peace, Fair Hearing And Justice
By Wilfred Otoo
Appolonia Youth Unhappy With Accra Regional Ministers Comments
16.01.2015 LISTEN

We the youth of Appolonia will like to send a word of caution to the Greater Accra Regional Minister,Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo and his cohorts to refrain from creating needless tension in Appolonia by their needless bias interferences in the matters of Appolonia.

We are law abiding citizens and respect the rule of law and under no circumstance shall we go or act contrary to the laws governing this country of ours.

Our major concerns in recent times have been with the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Joseph Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo whose constant bias interferences and utterances are igniting tension in the area.

The Regional Minister must know that he is a father for all and not for a selected few.

Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo's coments regarding Appolonia in recent times have become more of one sided one and we the youth see him as a total recipe for chaos and absolute confusion in the Area.

His utterances are ones that will bring nothing but encourage hatred, confusion, acrimony and division within the Appolonia Divissional Area.

We believe that Nii Laryea can use his honourable position to breach the gap and address the core issues affecting both parties dispassionately and fairly rather than playing the ostrich.

His utterances at the inauguration of the Appolonia Youth Development Association are highly unfortunate and least desired of him as a Regional minister who seeks peace in the area.

Some of the lose statements we believe shouldn't have come out of a Regional Minister who is calling for peace are as follows:

“I am ever prepared for who ever thinks or feels to be an impediment on my way”.

“Who is Superintendent Kwasi Ofori? Who is he to bond a gazzetted Chief? No way not under my watch”.

“I am giving warning to developers who have acquired lands in Appolonia without going through the right process to as soon as possible come and see the chief”.

“I am calling on the press men who are hungry and moving with their bellies without crosschecking their information's to be carful”.

“Where there are stool lands it is only the chief who can allocate lands and witnessed by two people”.

“There is no chieftancy issue as far as Appolonia is concerned”.

“I am calling on the Lands Title Commission to amend their records and that if there is any other name apart from the disputed chief Nii Teye Amoabi then it must be amended as soon as possible”.

Ladies and gentlemen of the media, How can a Regional Minister make such loose statements?

In the first place as much as Nii Teye Amobi is recognized at the National House of Chiefs as a gazetted chief doesn't mean he can not be disputed.

It does also not mean that his gazzette can not be revoked if circumstances surrounding his installation are questionable.

Currently as we speak there is a suite pending in court awaiting hearing regarding the gazzetted chief the Minister is rooting for and that suit has been at the traditional council before he was gazzetted. so we believe the minister should as a matter of respect to the disputed party be decorum in his utterances in other not to portray signs of bias.

There are ruling clans in Appolonia and the elders are those who have file a suit against the self acclaimed chief.

Paying homage to a disputed Chief we think is display of total bias at its highest peak which Hon Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo has displayed which calls for total Appology to the people of Appolonia and Ghanaians.

It is a total display of bias which we the youth of Appolonia condemn with no ambiguity.

Mr Minister we want to remind you that by your position you are highly demanded to be a father for all and not just a few so where from the lose statement that you are ready for anybody who will be an impediment on your way?

Is that why you are calling for the head of Superintendent kwasi Ofori, the police head in the District?

It is sad these statements are coming from our regional minister. What is the motivation we would like to know?

Why should the Regional minister warn investors and persons who have acquired land genuinely from the right grantors in the area to impress upon them to cease work?

Who assigned him as the mouthpiece of the people of Appolonia?.

We believe that these statements are just not desirous of a father for all Mr Minister.

Yes it is true that stool lands are alienated by chiefs of those areas, but is Mr Minister aware of a Supreme Court ruling regarding the alienating of lands at Appolonia?

It is never true that two persons from anywhere can witness the alienation of stool lands as said by the Minister.

A chief can only alienate lands with the consent and concurrence of the elders of the rulling clans and in the case of Appolonia there are three clans as listed in a Supreme Court judgement.

These and many more utterances by the honourable minister we consider as extremely bias and he must refrain from making to deepen the issues at stake.

We the youth would like to commend the aggrieved elders of the ruling clans for choosing the court processes in ensuring that their grievances are addressed.

We would however advice the honourable Minister to rather ensure that the court directives are adhered to by both parties until they are fully exhausted rather than his divide and rule tactics.

We would demonstrate to express our displeasure if he continues to trend the way he is trending regarding Appolonia matters since we the youth of Appolonia need peace and nothing but total peace because that is the only way we can build our community.

In an era where press freedom is being encouraged, the honourable Mister is warning journalists who are going about their duties dispassionately? We think he must either withdraw his lose speech about journalists and apologize to the inky fraternity or further come to clarify what he said at Appolonia on the 3rd January about journalists.

We think the minister for nothing at all should show some respect to the media and desist from attacking them for reporting on facts and not hear says.

SIGNED:

IRROKO AGOE

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