General News of Monday, 29 January 2024
Source: CNR
The Ekumfi Traditional Council has expressed disappointment in President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo over comments he made, indicating that he intentionally sidelined Ekumfi residents from benefiting from the national cake because they voted against the New Patriotic Party’s Parliamentary candidate Kingsley Ato Cudjoe in the 2020 elections.
The Traditional Authority is also demanding scientific data from the president on what the former MP did for the area.
This they believe will justify the President’s claim that Kingsley Ato Cudjoe should have been retained by the people of Ekumfi.
Addressing the media in Ekumfi, the Omanhene of Ekumfi Traditional Area, Odeefour Akyin VIII, described the comments made by the President as unfortunate, saying the people of Ekumfi only exercised their democratic rights and must not be used as a tool for punishment.
“The President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was seen in a viral video after some family of the late President Prof. Atta Mills visited him at the Jubilee House, categorically stating that he has denied the people of Ekumfi the much-needed development because they did not vote for Kingsley Ato Cudjoe, the New Patriotic Party candidate in the 2020 elections. There is no provision in the 1992 constitution which mandates the President to decide who the people of Ekumfi or for that matter any other constituency must vote for. We cannot understand why the President has abandoned all ongoing developmental projects in the constituency, particularly the construction of roads.”
“The people of Ekumfi are struggling because they did not vote for his preferred candidate, Kingsley Ato Cudjoe. But I believe that accurate data can justify the President’s claim, and so we need the data. But we want the President to know that the same Ato Cudjoe who is preferred by the President and whose exit from Parliament has become the reason the people have neglected Ekumfi has once again lost miserably in the NPP internal parliamentary primaries. So why must the chief and people of Ekumfi suffer just because of one person who has been neglected by his own party people,” Odeefour Akyin VIII, the Omanhene of Ekumfi Traditional Area, said.
The Ekumfi Omanhene again wants the President to remember the promises he made to be a father for all when he was sworn in as President, adding that all stalled developmental projects in Ekumfi wait in earnest.
Odeefour Akyin VIII urged the people of Ekumfi to remain calm while efforts are being taken to address the issues.
“We appreciate the concerns of the good people of Ekumfi but urge them to remain calm and understand that no matter how unfortunate the statement was and the pain it has caused all of us, Akufo-Addo remains the President and must be respected as such,” the Omanhene noted.