IGP, GLC must call ASP Tekpertey to order - Krobo youth

A group calling itself the Concerned Citizens of Yilo Krobo in the Eastern Region has jumped to the defence of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Eastern Regional First Vice Chairman following recent allegations raised against him by Nene Nanekey Terkpertey Ofori Agor IX who holds himself as a rival Divisional Chief of Okper in the Yilo Krobo Traditional Area.

The chief known in private life as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Dennis Yao Terkpertey who is also a lawyer by profession at a recent presser, among others accused Dr. Richard Twum Barimah Koranteng of meddling in chieftaincy matters in the Yilo Krobo Traditional Area, arming some youth to engage in mayhem despite not being an indigene of Yilo Krobo, does not provide job opportunities for the youth, among other wild allegations.

He also chastised the politician for failing to provide opportunities for the people of the municipality, adding that he only used them for his nefarious activities and dumped them.

But at a press conference on Tuesday by more than 600 members of the group at Somanya, they outlined various interventions said to have been undertaken by Dr. Twum Barimah to better their lives.



Addressing the press, convener of the group, Mr. Edmund Aboagye condemned what he described as “divisive, hate, and blatant mobilsation of hatred against Dr. Richard Twum Barimah Koranteng” which according to him was “causing uneasy tension among various ethnic groups and social groupings in Somanya.”

The pronouncements and conduct of the law officer, the group contended was sufficient grounds for the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the General Legal Council (GLC) both of which he belongs to, to call him to order. “We have met here today to call on the IGP, the General Legal Council and the Yilo Krobo Traditional Council to bring Dennis Yao Terkpetey to book, for his outrageous comments, calculated to activate a climate of hatred, in his quest to set one ethnic group against the other with his incendiary comments,” parts of the statement read.

Describing the pronouncements as unfortunate, the youth condemned the utterances of the police officer which they noted has now created a theatre of uneasy tension, adding that it owed it a moral prerogative to nib the development in the bud.
Quoting Article 17 of the 1992 constitution which states inter alia that ‘All persons shall be equal before the law and no person shall be discriminated against on grounds of ethnicity,” in response to allegations that Dr. Twum did not hail from Yilo Krobo, they insisted that he is a Krobo who hails from Klo Akwapem and Oluahai in the Yilo Krobo Municipal.

Furthering, the group called on the IGP and the General Legal Council to investigate the assertions made and proffer the necessary remedies, as the actions of one of their own has marred the otherwise peace and tranquility among all various ethnic groups in Somanya.

They accused Mr. Terkpertey of unnecessarily “whipping ethnic rivalry among people who have been born and bred here Somanya, as not being part of Krobos, for cheap political expediency.”

To this, they called on him to render an unqualified apology and withdraw his statements, failure to do this the group threatened to advise the Regional First Vice chairman to process him for legal redress.


Philanthropic deeds

Responding to allegations that the regional first vice chair was not helping creating opportunities for the youth of Yilo Krobo and stalling the progress and development of the area, the Concerned Citizens Of Yilo Krobo describing this as preposterous and mischievous, noted that the politician has implemented various water projects such as the drilling of boreholes to solve water problems, facilitated and supported about 200 people into nursing and teacher training colleges, assisted over 300 SMEs to access soft loans, renewed over 4000 NHIA cards especially for the aged, assisted 15 people to secure permanent jobs, assisted and supported over 500 needy but brilliant students, facilitated soft loans to 300 market women and instituted a personal financial scheme to provide monthly stipends of about 100 elderly persons in Somanya.

They challenged the traditional leader to also name any interventions he has instituted for his people.

The group also dismissed allegations that Mr. Twum meddled in chieftaincy affairs, describing him as a friend of all and sundry including traditional leaders.

They suspect that the chief’s recent criticisms of the politician were orchestrated by rumours of his parliamentary ambitions which pose a threat to others with similar ambitions and hence the attempts to “frustrate and destroy him”.


Response by Okper Divisional Chief

ASP Terkpertey in his presser also accused some chiefs of being manipulated by the politician but Nene Anyeenorgu Teye Agor IX also current occupant of the Okper stool in responding to the allegation on behalf of all other divisional chiefs of Yilo Krobo described his rival as an imposter who did not merit the position he claims to hold.

Accusing Mr. Dennis Yao Terkpertey of "causing conflict, panic and mayhem in Somanya,” he said he did not hail from any of the royal families within the Yilo Krobo Traditional Area.

He accused the police officer of using his position to cause fear and panic within the area.

The traditional leader labeled the chiefs and people of Yilo Krobo as peaceful and not tribalistic and hence condemned what they referred to as the attempt by the police officer to incite Krobos against other tribes.

He praised Dr Twum Barimah Koranteng for his immense contributions to the development of Yilo Krobo.

Nene Agor expressed disappointment at the failure of the IGP, Dr. Dampare to call Mr. Terkpertey to order despite his "unlawful, absurd and irresponsible behaviour." and accused the Ghana Police Service of being complicit in the acts of lawlessness being perpetrated by one of their own.

"The instant question is why the police administration has kept a deaf ear to the attitude and criminal actions of their own?” quizzed Nene Agor. “The continuous silence suggest that the police administration is highly in support of their officer destroying our community,”