The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Savannah Region has alleged that those who were seen booing president Akufo-Addo in the viral video were positioned by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to denigrate the president.
In a press statement released on Monday April 29, the NPP Regional” Secretary said, Mohammed Issah described the action as “disrespectful” on the part of the NDC.
“What was rather disrespectful was the nicodemus positioning of NDC apparatchiks around the revered King and to take videos with preconceived voice over ostensibly to denigrate his dignified invited guests for petty partisan politics”, he said.
“There cannot be a situation where our respected King would position riffraff around his seat to insult Presidents. That is surely the orchestration of the NDC. It is wicked, malicious and an affront to the King, the Palace and the people of the land”, he added.
Below is the full statement:
SAVANNAH REGIONAL NPP ON MATTERS ARISING; BEFORE, DURING & AFTER 2024 GLYA CONGRESS / 1YR ANNIVERSARY OF JIRA YAGBONWURA BII-KUNUTO JEWU SOALE I
29. 04. 2024.
Good day Ladies and Gentlemen of the ink fraternity. We gladly welcome you to this press conference and to state the position of our great party on the numerous deliberate distortions, the petty propaganda and the malicious narratives around the one-year anniversary of the overlord of the Gonja Kingdom, Jira Yagbonwura Bii Kunatu Soale Jewu I/Gonjaland Youth Congress.
They planned, but Allah demonstrated to be the best of planners.
The media space especially social media have been brainwashed with bitter lamentations laced with distortions and daft mind games by NDC and its surrogates on the immediate GLYA CONGRESS/1-year anniversary of the King and overlord, Jira Yagbonwura Bii Kunatu Soale Jewu I at Damongo.
All indications point to only one thing, the NDC’s evil and crook agenda back-fired. They were shamed and handed huge disappointment to the leader and Flag bearer who happens to be a son of the land. It is important to state without mincing words, that the GLYA have always made it their business to turn the enviable association meant to promote Youth development into an NDC campaign vehicle.
BEFORE THE CONGRESS
The NDC had laid a solid background from the funeral of the late Burgu-wurche in Busunu. Through their surrogates, they went ahead to put out vile threats of same plans on how to make the 2024 GLYA ungovernable.The NDC made every attempt to prevent the invitation of the President to the occasion. Indeed, they wrote publicly on social media about their displeasure at the invitation of H.E the President by the great King. They vilified the Yagbonwura for that singular invitation of a man who created the Region. They actually said Candidate Mahama would not have a co-guest of honor; He must be the sole guest of honor.
You have a supposed Gonjalander who as Vice President and President for 8 good years virtually abandoned the Gonjaland Youth Congress. He turned down almost all invites year-on-year. Even at the 40th anniversary of the Association in Kpembe, Candidate Mahama refused to attend the Congress upon numerous pleas and persuasions. Today, this same man and his bunch of greedy power seekers think Nana Addo or the NPP must not attend this year’s Congress because it is an election year.
Gonjalanders used to beg and cajole Mr. Mahama to attend our congresses. We have suddenly turned him into a hero of congress just because of elections. He is back to deceive Gonjalanders to trust him again. The gods of our land are wide awake. Fast-forward, the renovation of the Jakpa Palace by Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia was completed much to the pain and disgust of the NDC. The Veep fulfilled a promise he made to the Yagbonwura after paying homage shortly after his success in the NPP presidential primaries. On an account of this, the NDC swore to make bad press for DMB and the NPP.Candidate Mahama and his NDC saw nothing wrong with doing sod-cutting for the construction of a supposed Jakpa Palace at the time such an important event of a king and his people is ongoing. A deliberate plan to destabilize the Congress and anniversary.
You have a former Minister and MP for about 12 years. Same Mr. Mahama became Vice President and President for 8 good years. He gets into opposition for another 7 years on government coffers as an article 71 office holder. This same man is back to his home Region to build a Palace for the overlord because another son of the land, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has renovated at the instance of the King a Palace. So, for the 15 years of his highest political hierarchy, Mr. Mahama never knew that the Palace needed a facelift?
That it is only in an election year He finds it prudent to start a Palace project? Well, the people of Gonjaland would like to know the overall cost of the Project. Where exactly the funds for the project is coming from? We need to see the so call “intentional” architectural design as boasted. The so call new Palace project by Mr. Mahama is clearly an afterthought. A clear case of struggling to catch up with H.E the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia after his successful renovation of the Jakpa Palace. If Mr. Mahama meant well and was not politically motivated in this election year, the supposed project would have been sited at NYANGE, because the GLYA and GTC came up with a new Palace design but to be sited at the Traditional Capital which is Nyange. Another propaganda misfired.
DURING:
The NPP in the Savannah Region have always supported, participated and promoted congresses of GLYA. The 2024 edition is not an exception.The palpable displeasure of the NDC on President Akuffo Addo’s participation at the Congress called for a collaboration with some executives of GLYA to make it a John MAHAMA Congress. The GLYA chairman delivered a full speech in the presence of the sitting President of the land H.E Akuffo Addo without recognizing or acknowledging his presence. Neither did he mention the contribution of Vice President DMB for his contribution in cash (Ghc100,000.00 and other stuff) and in kind [Renovation of Jakpa Palace].
The Gonjaland Youth Association Executives cannot by any stretch of imagination claim they never found anything worthy of mention, when we have a whole Regional house of Chiefs to ourselves. When we had a Region for ourselves. When in fact, the beautiful astroturf you were hosting your guest was done for the first time by H.E the President.
You had all the strength to single out Candidate Mahama for praises because He paid for an individual’s study in China, and yet you could not mention a President who ensured the people of Gonjaland had a fair share of their deserved demand? What could have motivated such unbridled hatred for the President and the government?
The GLYA under this current leadership must take caution. It is necessary for the growth of the Region and not for anyone’s political aggrandizement. The President was obviously not treated to a welcome by the GLYA and we the people of land must be very unequivocal about such misconduct. You cannot lead us in that capricious manner for your selfish gains.
You have a former President and statesman refusing to share a podium of dignitaries with H.E Akuffo Addo all in an attempt to create disaffection for the Yagbonwura.
You have the NDC sell their cheap propaganda with claims of some disrespect at the revered Yagbon overlord, because the President spoke before the King. These same story tellers forgot, that the President of GLYA and his executives stopped the appellation that preceded the speech of the Yagbonwura and went ahead to deliver their speech. In fact, the Yapeiwura, Garba, Dr. A.B.T Zakaria was on his feet, ready to deliver the speech of the great King when he was stopped. According to the reasoning of the NDC, the Association’s president was the first to show disdain for the overlord and his people because he spoke before the King.
The long list of itineraries for the President for the day as attached could not allow the him stay throughout the program. The President pleaded to be given the opportunity to deliver his speech and catch up with the rest of the itinerary as a chopper was waiting at Savannah Regional military base. Prior to the intervention of the maverick Damongo Law maker, consent was requested from the MC, the Yagbonwura and the gathering. Even the former president was alerted by the Regional Minister.
What was rather disrespectful was the nicodemus positioning of NDC apparatchiks around the revered King and to take videos with preconceived voice over ostensibly to denigrate his dignified invited guests for petty partisan politics.
There cannot be a situation where our respected King would position riffraff around his seat to insult Presidents. That is surely the orchestration of the NDC. It is wicked, malicious and an affront to the King, the Palace and the people of the land.
The NDC as part of their grand evil scheme brought in girls dressed in NDC related colours into the venue to chant disruptive noise at President Akuffo Addo.
AFTER:
The NDC having failed in their evil agenda is trying hard to force a false narrative; the President will never undermine the Yagbonwura and the people of Gonjaland. It will never happen.
For the avoidance of doubt, H.E President Akuffo Addo and the NPP government have undiluted respect for the Yagbonwura and the people of Gonjaland. The reason for which He has visited the Jakpa Palace as President more than Candidate John Mahama. His respect for the Kingdom and its people gave birth to the creation of a Region that was dreamt of for over 4 decades. The very Region Candidate Mahama blatantly refused to create as Vice President and President. The very reason for which as proud sons, daughters and royals of the Land, Ing. Dr. Clifford Braimah, Lawyer Samuel Abu Jinapor and many Gonjalanders from NPP have kept faith with the Chieftaincy institution in the Region all through.
The videos and pictures from all angles as attached to this press conference is enough evidence to expose the propaganda of these self-seeking NDC goons. A clear orchestration as narrated by story tellers to paint the Palace black. This is backward and must be condemned by all well-meaning Gonjalanders and Ghanaians at large. The people of Gonjaland are interested more in the development of the area.
We are not interested in pampering a brother who was pushed to the highest seat of the land but failed us. President Akuffo Addo and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia have shown clearly, that they deserve our support.
Nana Addo gave us our long cherished Region that Mr. Mahama refused to give. President Nana Addo gave us a District at North East Gonja District. Nana Addo has built 3 new hospitals in the Savannah Region in just 8 years. 2 additional District Hospitals are underway in Daboya and Kpalbe. He has made available to the people of Gonjaland, 4 new astroturfs in just 8 years and counting. Nana Addo’ government has started 3 new bridges in the Savannah Region. These and many more are the real concerns of the people of the Region and not petty partisanship.
CONCLUSION
President Akuffo Addo has visited the Yagbonwura and Gonjaland as sitting President than John Mahama as President. The President and his government has no reason to disrespect a Region He gave birth. A traditional authority he raised to the status of House of Chiefs.
The President did not only grant Gonjaland a century treasure of Savannah Region but followed up with hard and soft infrastructure couple with jobs. Interestingly, the vitriolic attacks designed on Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia concerning the Jakpa Palace renovation has fallen flat as the project was successfully completed.
If the NDC have balls, they should present themselves for castration as promised that on the successful completion of the renovation by DMB they were ready to give up their balls.Let it be known, that the Savannah Region is made up of hundreds and thousands of Gonjalanders with diverse paths in most matters.
We cannot be cajoled by a few self-centered individuals especially in an election to do the bidding of a man who abandoned us when we needed him most. We have very proud, easy going and more resilient, born and bred Gonjalanders who have been with Gonjaland from its hard times. No need glorifying self-appointed heroes just for election 2024.
The NDC may try their best, but they can never hoodwink Gonjalanders into believing in their self-imposed John Mahama. The NPP is on its way to politically bring all constituencies under siege with a 7/7 or 100% winning score come December, 2024.
God Bless Nana Addo and his government to continue their good works in government.God Bless the overlord of our great Kingdom, Jira Yagbonwura Bii Kunutu Jewu Soale I and his able cabinet.
God bless Gonjaland and our homeland Ghana.
Mohammed Issah
Savannah Regional Secretary, NPP
