Plot To Sabotage June 4 Celebration - Mills Stands Accused

Kofi Adams, Spokesperson for former President Rawlings, yesterday stated categorically that Sunday�s June 4 rally would take place at Aflao, as planned, in spite of the alleged attempts by the Mills-Mahama government to hide behind the chiefs and elders of the area to scuttle the event. According to him, the June 4 event is one that has been endorsed by the ruling NDC as an important event on the party's calendar. Mr Adams therefore finds it difficult to understand why the chiefs and elders of Aflao would entertain fears that allowing the event to take place in their traditional area would undermine their efforts at attracting development projects from a government they had always voted massively for. Before yesterday�s development, the New Statesman had reported an alleged plot by functionaries of the Mills-Mahama government to ensure low patronage of the event. They were said to be wooing foot soldiers of the party through momentary inducement to stay away from the event, offering those who would agree to boycott the event a sum of GHC50 each. According to Mr Adams, former President Rawlings Rawlings is not perturbed by the spirited attempts by functionaries of the Mills-Mahama government to scuttle the 33rd Anniversary of the June 4 event. The New Statesman can disclose that yesterday�s statement issued by the Chiefs, Council of Elders and people in the Aflao Traditional Area to register their objection to the choice of Aflao as the venue for the June 4 rally was instigated by the Mills-Mahama government. Information available to the paper indicates that �vindictive� President Mills had threatened to withhold development projects from the area if they allowed a smooth organisation of the June 4 rally. A statement signed by Torgbui Nyueimedzi Anubo IV, Senior Divisional Chief of Aflao Traditional Area, Ernest Dumor, Chairman of Aflao Council of Elders and Christian Yevunya, Chairman of Aflao Youth Association, indicated that the chiefs and people were �apprehensive of� and felt �uncomfortable� about the choice of Aflao as venue for the event. The so-called apprehension of the chiefs and people comes as a confirmation of the threats by the Mills-Mahama government to �punish� them by withholding projects from the area. Yesterday, Kofi Adams insisted in a number radio interviews that the chiefs and elders of the Aflao Traditional Area were being manipulated by functionaries of the Mills-Mahama government to execute their plot to scuttle the June 4 event. He explained that the youth of Aflao had lobbied for the celebrations to be held in the area, adding that the choice of venue was arrived at after consultations with the paramount chief of the area, who gave his �blessing.� Mr Adams alleged that the statement from the chiefs and elders of Aflao was written in Accra and emailed to them for their signatures to be appended, adding: �When people allow themselves to be used, I feel pity for this country.� Meanwhile, the organizing committee of the June 4 celebration has urged the general public to ignore the �devious machinations of anti-revolutionary elements� and join the event, adding that come what may �this year�s anniversary celebration will be held in Aflao in the Volta Region�, with former President Rawlings delivering the keynote address. �The general public and all true believers of the decade that stopped the rot are invited to participate in the celebrations�The organizing committee wishes to assure all those travelling to Aflao for the rally that it will definitely take place at the Victory Park as scheduled. The public is advised to ignore the devious machinations of anti-revolutionary elements who are bent on creating negativity towards the event,� the statement stressed.