Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council debunks endorsement statement

Ofori Panin Fie (Office of the Okyenhene) has expressed concern about the many publications regarding statements made by Osabarima Adusi Peasah IV, Akyem Tafohene, when President John Evans Atta Mills visited the Abuakwa State College.

A statement issued in Accra and signed by Barima Yentumi Boaman, Abodesahene and chief of staff said “we refer particular to the statement which appeared to endorse the candidature of the President in his bid for re-election.”

It said Ofori Panin Fie wished to state emphatically that the Tafohene did not speak for the Okyenhene of the Okyeman Council as sections of the press have reported.

“Any statement made by him by way of endorsement could only have been his personal comments,’ it added.

The statement said the comments made by the Tafohene directly contradict the policy of the Okyeman Council to which required that chiefs did not make political statements of kind attributed by Tafohene.

It said Ofori Panin Fie has taken steps to address Tafohene’s indiscretion and clear breach of protocol, which tended to have effect of unjustifiably and needlessly dragging the exalted office of the Okyenhene as well as the Okeyman Council into a political quagmire.

It urged all chiefs in the country to be mindful of the broad purpose of Article 276 (1) of the 1992 Constitution, which requires that chiefs do not get involved in partisan politics for obvious and good reasons.

Source: GNA