We’re Under Pressure From Volta Chiefs – Minority

The Minority in Parliament have said they will consider other options if President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo does not apologise to the Chiefs and people of the Volta region following the way he responded to the Aflao Chief Torgbui Adzonugaga Amenya Fiti.

North Tongu lawmaker, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said at a press conference in Accra on Thursday October 28 that they will not leave this matter until the President apologises.

“As a caucus we will consider what the response from the president will be then we will decide on our next step. Be rest assured that this matter is not ending here.

“You can imagine the pressure we are under from the chiefs and people of the Volta region to ensure that the president does what is right,” he said.

For her part, Member of Parliament for Ketu South, Dzifa Gomashie, said the President’s comment was affront to the entire Volta region hence he must retract those comments.

“The respected traditional ruler merely advocated for  an abandoned E-block in his community to be completed so his people will have fair access to education as citizens. As a bonafide tax payer that wasn’t too much to ask.

“Torgbui Fiti deserves praise for prioritising education by speaking up against the culture of abandoning inherited project.  He does not deserve such disrespect from the President of the Republic of Ghana.

“The president’s conduct which we do not see him exhibit against Chiefs from other parts of the country is a total affront to the entire Volta region and the Aflao Traditional area in particular.

“We demand a retraction and apology from the president.”

Minority members on the Education Committee of Parliament visited uncompleted projects in some parts of the country. They visited was in Aflao in the Volta region.

Over there they met the Paramount Chief Torgbui Adzonugaga Amenya Fiti, who then raised issues against the failure to finish the project and further gave the government a four-month ultimatum to open the e-block community day senior high school which in his view, has stalled since 2016.

The ¢9 million project which was part of some 200 classroom blocks the erstwhile Mahama administration started was supposed to have some 26 classrooms attached and 5 departments including a science block.

Torgbui Adzonugaga Amenya Fiti speaking with the Minority side of the Education Committee who toured the uncompleted school buildings in the Ketu South constituency says, government’s approach to education is appalling.

“After senior high school education, the next degree that my people have to do is to go to border and go and do kayayo, no school.

“The only school that we have is the RC Senior High School that belongs to the Catholic Mission Minor Seminary. So this thick population have no place to go and people sit down in that big hall called parliament and not thinking about Aflao, a place after the Tema Harbour, the next revenue generation is from the Aflao border.

“I had to push the former President Mahama for the structure to be constructed over there. I had to be running from here to Accra begging.  Should we beg for education?”

In response to the Chief’s comment, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who was not happy with the ultimatum given by the Chief,  in a sarcastic manner, asked the Chief to complete E-block by himself.

The President said most of the E-block projects started by the Mahama administration have been completed by his government. Others are also at various stages of completion, he said.

He said on Peace FM Thursday, October 21 that “Many of the E-blocks are being worked on across the country.

“Is he [Aflao Chief] the one to give the minister ultimatum then he should go ahead and complete the project.”