The Paramount chief of Adansi, Opagyakotwere Bonsra Afriyie II, has descended on the Members of Parliament in the Adansi Traditional Area of Ashanti region.
Speaking to Nana Jantuah on Nhyira FM’s ‘Kuro yi mu nsem’ show, Opagyakotwere said that the six members of Parliament in the traditional area rather send representatives with envelopes whenever he invites them to discuss developmental issues.
“Whenever I invite them, they send representatives. They will maybe send their DCEs and give them envelopes to bring to me. I don’t need these envelopes; I need development,” he bemoaned.
The chief noted that, the MPs have become used to visiting the palace only to campaign, a practice, he says, will not be tolerated.
“Any MP who never honored an invitation from my palace should not step foot there during election campaigning. If they come there to lobby, they won’t be happy with my reaction. I can’t be lobbied; I am a man of action,” said Opagyakotwere.
The Adansihene called out the MPs to account for their efforts to drive development.
“I want them to tell me exactly what they have done for Adansi. If you cannot identify anything, then don’t come to my palace. I will not even go there to meet them. They shouldn’t even follow the presidential candidate there. Elections will be based on records. What you did is what you will campaign with, not what political party you affiliate with,” he said.
According to him, there are MPs in his area who are yet to meet him.
“Would you believe me if I said that there is an MP in my area that I haven’t even met before? I don’t know him. If I am to meet him anywhere, I won’t recognize him,” he said.
The Adansihene observed that Adansi plays a major role in the history of Ghana, and it is sad to see there is no growth in the area.
“You cannot leave Adansi out when it comes to the history of Ghana. It was my own grandfather, Kweku Nkansah, who signed the lease for the earlier gold mining companies. Everyone can testify to what extent Adansi has contributed to the Ghanaian economy. Our gold took care of the country. Why is it so that gold has been mined here for years but there is no development?” he quizzed.
The chief said he was surprised to hear from the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) of an inspection of projects recorded as completed in the area.
“What at all have they used the gold mined from Adansi to do in Adansi? I have a PIAC report that says people in Accra have been contracted to construct roads in the districts. They were even paid in millions and signed papers. PIAC came to Fomena to inspect the roads and I told them it might be another Fomena and not the Adansi one,” said Opagyakotwere.
The Adansihene says he is disappointed in the MPs in the Traditional Area.