A group calling itself Tema Residents in Development (TRID) has condemned what it says is the ‘deadly tribal politics’ being championed by some people especially in Tema.
A group, Ga-Dangme Concerned youth called on President Akufo-Addo to nominate all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) solely from the Greater Accra region.
Failure to comply with their plea which has been the status quo under the erstwhile Mills-Mahama regimes, the group said President Akufo-Addo will face their wrath.
But in a statement issued in Accra, Monday, TRID condemned the ethnocentric statements noting that, it is borne out of malice.
They urged President Akufo-Addo not to succumb to the empty threat of the Ga-Adangme youth but rather “appoint people with proven track record, Loyal and Selfless individuals who share in his government vision irrespective of their tribal balance for such positions as promised by his Excellency himself during the campaign period”.
Below is the full statement
TEMA RESIDENTS IN DEVELOPMENT (TRID) CAUTIONS AGAINST DEADLY TRIBAL POLITICS WITHIN GREATER ACCRA REGION
Our attention has been drawn to some press conferences and campaigns concerning the President’s intended appointees to occupy the MMDCEs positions.
Since the declaration and investiture of the president, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the president of Ghana, a new development has emerged within the political landscape and we deem it necessary to let all and sundry know and address their minds since this development is not a positive one and has the tendency to destroy not only the social fabric of members of the elephant family in the Tema Municipality and the Greater Accra region at large but also to destroy the blossoming democratic credentials of the new government and its mother party (NPP) which has been preserved by our forebears over decades.
It is unfortunate that despite this feat chalked, some group of individuals are gradually sacrificing the cohesion that has existed within the Greater Accra region and in particular Tema for decades on the expedience of selfish political interest.
Also, some group of individuals over the last few days have been waging a campaign based on ethnicity in the Greater Accra Region. On Tuesday January 17, 2017 at exactly 10:00 am, a group known as GA-ADANGME CONCERNED YOUTH led by Nii Yaafio Tetteh 1 organised a press conference calling on the President, NANA ADDO DANKWA AKUFO-ADDO TO ENSURE THAT ALL HIS MMDCES APPOINTEES IN THE GREATER ACCRA REGION MUST BE SOLELY OF GA-ADANGME DESCENT.
They went further to state that, “THIS HAS BEEN THE TREND SINCE THE NDC UNDER PRESIDENT PROF. MILLS AND PRESIDENT MAHAMA. We want to state emphatically that, our investigations has so far revealed that this assertion is totally false and a clear evidence of dishonesty on the part of the group. A typical example is the former NDC MCE for Tema in the person on Kempis Ofosuware is a direct indigene of Akyem Abuakwa in the Eastern region of Ghana, yet he was embraced by the Tema traditional council.
Least they forget, ARTICLE 35(5), of our constitution prohibits discrimination and prejudice on the grounds of ethnic origin and actively promote the integration of the people of Ghana. This discriminatory attitude must not be tolerated!!!!
This same contracted Ga-Dangme group embarked on a similar ethnocentric mission in the year 2009 by demonstrating against ex-president Kufuor by resisting a legitimate office allocation to him as part of his retirement package. What would have happened if kufour’s home region or Akans reacted to that embarrassing treatment?
The Ga-Dangme Concerned Youth went to further to allege that, they have gathered information to fact that non Ga-Adangmes are lobbying for the positions of MMDCEs and that they argued it as a violation of the principle of regional balance system as contained in the 1992 constitution of Ghana.
The group threatened by saying, “WE ARE MAKING IT CLEAR TO THE GOVERNMENT THAT WE WILL NOT AGREE TO THESE ARRANGEMENTS IF ANY NON GA-ADANGME IS HANDED SUCH POSITION”.
However, no one is denying the fact that every Ghanaian irrespective of where s/he is coming from can become an MMDCE and the constitution acknowledges that. But is that the only reason for becoming a president? The answer is absolutely NO! Such appointments must be based on Competence, Dedication, Loyalty and Commitment to the ruling government and if that is the case, then Ga-Adangmes has had the privilege to prove their worth likewise the non Ga-Adangmes when the party was in opposition.
The situation has become so alarming and creating an unnecessary tension within the region. We are therefore calling on all well-meaning Ghanaians to condemn this uncharacteristic behaviour and speak against it. It is not only the press conference that is of concern to us but rather the conscious attempt by the group to incite Ga-Adangmes against all other ethnic groupings across the nation. This is very dangerous for cohesion and peaceful coexistence within the nation. We want to put on record that the Greater Accra region and for that matter Tema does not only comprise Ga speaking people.
It is quite absurd and insincere on the part of group to have stated in their press conference that “IF POSSIBLE, WE SHALL DEMONSTRATE AGAINST THE DECISION AND CREATE THE AWARENESS TO ALL THAT WE ARE NOT MERE PUSH OVERS”, and went further to say that “ANY ATTEMPT TO DENY OUR PEOPLE OS THESE POSITIONS IN OUR REGION WILL NOT BE COUNTENANCED ON OUR LAND”. We expect that a person of his stature (NII AYAAFIO TETTEH 1) will be abreast with developments within the region, which were not achieved through tribal cards.
We will like to conclude by asking the ‘so called indigenous people’ to account for their contributions to the development of the greater Accra region. This primitive approach and means of getting political portfolios must be stopped.
We humbly urge H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo – Addo not to succumb to this divisive, erroneous interpretation of the constitution and empty Ga-Adangme youth but appoint people with proven track record, Loyal and Selfless individuals who share in his government vision irrespective of their tribal balance for such positions as promised by his Excellency himself during the campaign period.
WE SHOULD ALL SAY NO TO TRIBAL POLITICS AND REWARD COMPETENCE, DEDICATION, COMMITMENT, HARDWORK AND LOYALTY.
Arise and be counted God bless us all.
Thank you for coming.
Signed by:
PERCY OPATA
Communication
0264227888
0208294195
URSULA TAGOE
Secretary
0243851311
EPRAIM ATUBUROAH
Operations
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