Member of Parliament for Effutu Constituency, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has expressed disappointment at what he said is a calculated attempt to drive a wedge between him and the people of Gomoa Pomadze.
He questioned how construction of a police station in the area could be interpreted as an attempt to annex parts of the land of Pomadze for Winneba.
Every project, he said, that he has undertaken in the area has been carried out in consultation with the chief, Nana Okutupong Apata Kofi and that this has not changed.
The Effutu MP, also Deputy Majority leader in Parliament, engaged the Parliamentary Press on Tuesday to respond to the Omanhene of Gomoa Ajumako Traditional Council, Obrempon Nyamful Krampa, who has accused him of disrespect and plot to annex lands belonging to Gomoa Pomadze.
The Omanhene also accused the MP of flouting a court order in respect to developmental projects in Winneba Junction, New Winneba and Pomadze without engaging him.According to Hon. Afenyo-Markin, he has very good working relationship with Nana Opata Kofi and that they understand the need to develop the Gomoa Efutu enclave.
He said, “So I find it strange that the Obrempon will hold a press conference in the name of another chief who owns his land and create the impression that there is conflict between Effutu people and Gomoa Pomadze.”
The Deputy Majority leader stated impression created by Obrempon Krampa about statues being constructed at the Winneba Runabout is very flawed.
According to him, indeed they have taken a decision to construct the statues of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and J.B. Danquah shaking hands at the runabout as a form of posthumous reconciliation between these two political legends.
He said, “Prior to the decision to finally proceed with the statues, Nana Opata Kofi and I met in the presence of the divisional police commander and discussed various developmental projects and how to make the enclave attractive.”
“We came to the consensus that JB Danquah and Kwame Nkrumah are two national heroes for this country. But we all know because of political differences the two men were at war when they lived.”“We also know without doubt that Nkrumah incarcerated Danquah and he died in Nsawam.”
“So we discussed at length how we can preach posthumous conciliation by putting their statues shaking hands and tell a story around it.”
Mr. Afenyo-Markin insisted it is absolutely false that one of the effigies is his and that it symbolises annexation of certain areas of Gomoa lands.
The Chief Gomoa Pomadze, Nana Okutupong Apata Kofi, in his submission emphasized as chief of the said lands, at no point has Mr. Afenyo-Markin undertaken any project without consulting him.
He said, “There hasn’t been a single project he has done without my knowledge. Afenyo-Markin comes to me and my elders anytime he wants to build a project.”
“Ask yourself how he would have acquired the lands for all these beautiful projects if he doesn’t come to us?”
“We are much grateful to him for the numerous developmental projects he has brought into our land,” he added.
Nana Opata Kofi noted that whatever the Chief of Gomoa Ajumako said about the Effutu MP is false as he (Nana Opata Kofi) is the substantive chief of Gomoa Pomadze.
He appealed to the youth not to allow themselves to be used and to never allow themselves to be misled by any chief.
Source: MyPublisher24.com/Osumanu Al-Hassan
