The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Catherine Afeku has insulted the intelligence of the minority in parliament.
Catherine Afeku told Members of Parliament Tuesday investigations conducted show the tourist site was operated by the Municipal Assembly during the fatal accident that killed some 20 students of the Wenchi Methodist Senior High School and the School of Mines and Natural Resources at Fiapre.
“A day after, [the incident] my team, the Vice President of this country and other stakeholders visited the site. We did not see any illegal occupation of the site… No one was able to corroborate the story of illegal occupants…” she said.
But Mr Ablakwa in a rebuttal said the comment by the Tourism Minister is part of a grand scheme to protect the pro-New Patriotic Party’s inexperienced Invisible Forces, who manned as the place December elections.
“If the minister said the municipal assembly was in charge and doesn’t know about the forces then she has insulted our intelligence. They were not trained personnel. We in the minority are not satisfied with her response…” he said to Okay FM.
In addition, Mr Ablakwa recalled how the Deputy General Secretary of the NPP, Nana Obiri Boahen and the Chief of Kyeremankoma, where the site is located, alleged that the group evicted all tour guides after the NPP won the 2016 elections, in the weeks leading up to the March 2017 disaster which claimed 18 lives.
It is with this that, the minority MP said the precious lives that were lost at the tourist grounds don’t correspond with the response the minister gave to parliament as such she should stop defending the forces.
“The chief and Nana Obiri Boahen said invisible forces have taken over and the invisible forces taking over weren’t wrong. We also listened to 9 invisible force members who claim they collect monies from tourists and share with the regional executives of the NPP, we have the tape…” he explained.
He however added that, “The young people who lost their lives were more than 20. Human’s lives are precious for such a response from her. It isn’t good to cover things up. This kind of shielding of the conduct of the forces will encourage them to keep up with the assaults…”
According to Mr Okudzeto Ablakwa, any family member of the victim who files against the state in the law court will render the state a lot of trouble hence the government should award them the compensations they deserve duly.
“Any family member who takes a legal matter against the state will render the state a lot of trouble. If this is the way they will continue shielding them then people will join and think they can get away with things. Covering party vigilante groups won’t help. The government should compensate the families…” He said.