Strip off Nana Nkwantabisa's Chieftaincy title for disgracing Axim

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The Nzema East Youth Forum has called on the Paramount Chief of Lower Axim Traditional Council, Awulae Attibrikusu II to strip off the chieftaincy title on Nana Osei Nkwantabisa, the Development Chief of Lower Axim Traditional Council.

The Auditor-General’s 2020 report on the public accounts of Ghana at the Ministries, Departments, and other Agencies (MDAs) said funds meant for the Marine Drive Project amounting to GHC387,198 were misapplied for the celebration of AFRIMA, Kundum Festival and other activities.

This, according to the report, is in contravention of section 7 of the Public Financial Management Act 2016 (Act 921). The report also noted that GHC200,000 was used to support the Kundum Festival, which took place from September 1st to September 9th 2018.

However, Nana Osei Nkwantabisa, the Development Chief of Lower Axim Traditional Council who is also the Chairman of the Axim Kundum Planning Committee in a press statement has stated that the Tourism Ministry in 2018 supported the Axim Kundum celebration with GHC7,000 and not GHC200,000 as the AG's report has disclosed.

"During the 2018 Kundum Festival Celebration, the Tourism and Creative Arts Ministry officially and solely donated GHC7,000 to the Planning Committee to be distributed to Axim's two traditional leaders (Upper and Lower)", Nana Osei Nkwantabisa explained.

But in a press statement issued by the Nzema East Youth Forum and copied to the media, its Secretary, Isaac Gyabbin emphasized that the Axim Kundum Committee was not cited in the AG's report.

Isaac Gyabbin also cleared that those artists who performed during the 2018 Axim Kundum Festival were not sponsored by the Axim Kundum Planning Committee but were sponsored by the former Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Catherine Afeku.

"Again we state emphatically that Axim Kundum Committee was not cited in the report by the Auditor General, Axim was not mentioned in the report and finally, the Kundum Committee was not in charge of paying the artists and other activities sponsored by the MP and Minister during the festival. We find it disingenuous for the Chairman to issue that Statement and a disgrace to Axim and its tradition", he stressed.

The Nzema East Youth Forum has claimed that Nana Osei Nkwantabisa in 2020 was found campaigning publicly for the NDC Parliamentary Candidate who is the current MP for the area, Kofi Arko Nokoe.

"Picture evidence of Nkwantabisa seeking for support from Hon Catherine Afeku, videos of his praises towards Hon Catherine for the support as a well as pictures of him in NDC Tshirt with the NDC candidate during the just ended election are all available for all to know the double standards of Nana Osei Nkwantabisa who is seen using his position for personal and political scores", the statement claimed.

The Nzema East Youth Forum is therefore, calling on Awulae Attibrikusu III, the Paramount Chief of Lower Axim Traditional Council as a matter of urgency to remove Nana Osei Nkwantabisa as the Development Chief of Lower Axim Traditional Council to save the Council from mistrust.

"We appeal to Awulae Attibrukusu to as much as possible put politically neutral person's for the position of Nkosuohene, in order to safeguard the sanctity of sponsorship to the Kundum festival and its tradition.

"We again call on Awulae Attibrikusu III to strip off his Chieftaincy title as he is compromised", the group added.

Read the full statement from Nzema East Youth Forum below:

EXPOSED: Nkwantabisa stage managed a press release from Axim Kundum Planning Committee - Nzema Youth Forum

Following our massive support for Hon Catherine Afeku in the face of an Auditor's General report on some 200k support for the Kundum festival, Nzema East Youth Forum, has come across a press release purported to have been signed by one Nana Osei Nkwantabisa- the Nkosuohene of Lower Axim Traditional Council and the Chairman of the Axim Kundum Planning Committee.

We say without any reservation that this release was orchestrated, planned and executed by this chief with NDC executives in Evalue-Ajomoro Gwira without the consent of respected eminent Chiefs on the Kundum Planning Committee.

Nzema East Youth Forum gathered intelligence that Osei Nkwantabisa who is a an ardent member of the NDC was fighting an NDC Constituency executive in Evalue A. Gwira (Name withheld) to issue a rejoinder to our earlier report and accuse the Axim Kundum Planning Committee based on which he ( Nkwantabisa) will come out with his release to taint the reputation of Hon. Catherine Abelema Afeku.

_Nkwatabisa_ _"My _opinion,

_I disagree sir, I would have want the NDC communications team take it up since it has been taken up by the NPP wing, who happens to attack the NDC directly so we as the Planning Committee do not matter here. I am expecting the NDC to raise questions of how much was given to them by the. Ministry in 2018_

_What has been the infrastructural benefit from Catherine’s Kundum so called sponsorship_

_These are what I would love the party to raise so that it would push the Committee to set the record straight_

This generated a heated banter between the NDC Constituency Executive, to the extent of Nkwantabisa calling for his removal from his position

_Nkwantabisa: "am very annoyed and ashamed of the communication team’s lacuna of EAG NDC. I am for change in the communication structures.. let the best and well detailed personalities take up the course....._

_I have been expecting this from you so that we as a planning come out to set the record straight and that is why I made my first submission on Sunday thinking you will take that in good faith and act swiftly. But for you to come and write this, then I think you are not fit for the communication job. Thanks_

For the records, Nkwatabisa also known as Evans Osei Baffour was seen actively campaigning for the NDC in the just ended election with the NDC Parliamentary Candidate.

He has consistently attacked and rained insults on Hon. Catherine Afeku and Nana Akufo Addo on various platforms.

With ongoing massive development from the NPP in the Traditional Council, this so called developmental Chief has never and ever spoken of it or written about them.

The auditor's report did not state that Axim Kundum Planning Committee received any amount from Hon Catherine Afeku.

In any case Nana Osei Nkwantabisa was seen at the office of the Former Minister Catherine Afeku to solicit support for the Kundum and it was more the reason why during the launch, he Nkwantabisa was outlining the activities and programs which will be financed by the Former Minister's office.

In that video, he was praising Hon Catherine for bringing renowned artists to the Kundum for a Mega Musical show, which he affirmed as the biggest show of the festival.

In 2018, the Kundum beach jam and the mega jam was under the auspicious of the Ministry of Tourism and not the Kundum committee.

Can the Chairman (Nana Osei Nkwantabisa) of the Planning Committee tell the whole nation who financed these artists, face of Axim and other activities?

The fact that the financing of these artists were not given to the Chairman of the committee does not mean they performed for free. Again, other places which celebrated the Kundum also benefited, we remember a gospel rock show at Nsein, Lil win and a host of others performing the following day.

Picture evidence of Nkwantabisa seeking for support from Hon Catherine Afeku, videos of his praises towards Hon Catherine for the support as a well as pictures of him in NDC Tshirt with the NDC candidate during the just ended election are all available for all to know the double standards of Nana Osei Nkwantabisa who is seen using his position for personal and political scores.

With this posture of a chief, which person's or groups or institutions will come and support the Kundum if the same person who receives support from someone, praises the person for her contribution then later turns around without the consent of the whole Planning Committee issue a release about a report the committee was not mentioned?

We appeal to Awulae Attibrukusu to as much as possible put politically neutral person's for the position of Nkosuohene, in order to safeguard the sanctity of sponsorship to the Kundum festival and its tradition.

Now, we the Nzema East Youth forum ask the general public to disregard the unsolicited respond from Nana Nkwantabisa and treat it as his own creation to satisfy his paymasters.

Again we state emphatically that Axim Kundum Committee was not cited in the report by the Auditor General, Axim was not mentioned in the report and finally, the Kundum Committee was not in charge of paying the artists and other activities sponsored by the MP and Minister during the festival. We find it disingenuous for the Chairman to issue that Statement and a disgrace to Axim and its tradition.

We are intrigued that Nkwantabisa could use his so called communication expert as in being a consultant for NACOB, Goldfields, Adamus, Wayoe, Perseus Mines, Nezo Oilfields, BCM to intimidate NDC Constituency Executives in EAG.

We advise these companies to be wary of him, if indeed he offer consultancy for them. _Nkwatabisa :"If am doing managing the whole communications department for NACOB and to an extent as consultant working on the Developement communication strategy for Goldfields, Adamus, Wayoe, Persues Mines, Nezo oil fields, BCM etc for money, then what prevents me from doing it for free or on a pro Bono for my party as my contribution? "_

We again call on Awulae Attibrikusu III to strip off his Chieftaincy title as he is compromised.

We conclude that the Kundum festival is for all Nzema's and we adore the struggles of our forbearers during this period. Let's celebrate but call out those who are defaming Axim Kundum to the entire World for their personal benefit.

Aximnians in the diaspora should descend on this chief as the youth are upset of his dealings in the Municipality.

Signed!

Isaac Gyabbin (SURVIVAL)

Secretary, Nzema East Youth Forum

Ernest Kwame Asabil

Member, Nzema East Youth Forum