Baffour Owiredu Agyarko Mintah II
The Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council in the Eastern Region on Monday cautioned the Begro Ankobeahene Baffour Owiredu Agyarko Mintah II for making partisan comments by openly endorsing the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama in the name of the traditional authority.
At a closed-door meeting held at the Ofori Panin Fie, Kyebi, the Begoro Ankobeahene who was once NDC Parliamentary aspirant for Fanteakwa North in 2012 was warned by the Traditional council which was chaired by the Okyenhemaa, Nana Dokuaa Adutwumwaa against repeating statements that may be deemed as partisan and called off the case against him.
The Ankobeahene of the Begoro Traditional area Baffour Owiredu Agyarko Minta II, was summoned to appear before the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council for endorsing John Mahama and also alleged to have rained curses on the ruling New Patriotic Party as a chief.
The Ankobehene during a campaign visit by former President Mahama to Begoro recently, said “On behalf of the chiefs, they fully endorse Mr. John Mahama as the incoming President of Ghana. That the people of Begoro must vote massively for the flagbearer of the NDC, that the 24-hour economic policy of the NDC government will rescue the people of Begoro from poverty’’.
He continued that ‘’… and that all Nananom have invoked the gods by pouring libation against breaking the eight mantra of the New Patriotic Party government (NPP). That the people of Begoro must be vigilant against the vote-rigging agenda of the current government, that the parliamentary candidate of the NDC lost by dubious means in the previous election, and that the people of Begoro must vote massively for him in the coming election.”
However, some of the chiefs including the regent of the Begoro stool and acting Benkumhene, Daasebre Ofosu Kwabi Ayebiahwe and Okyeame Owusu of the Begoro stool, alleged that Nana Owiredu Agyarko Minta comments were partisan and therefore petitioned the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council to question his actions for bringing the name of the Begoro and Benkum stool into disrepute and subjected it to political ridicule by engaging in partisan politics.
At Ofori Panin Fie on Monday, although it was a usual traditional hearing day of cases at the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council, but his case was held closed doors, where only Elders of the Traditional Council led by the Akyem Abuakwa Queen Mother, and parties to the case were allowed to the inner chamber of the Ofori Panin Fie for judgment.
Baffour Owiredu Agyarko after being warned, apologized for the remarks, thus ending the matter.
His lawyer told journalists that “We all know what had transpired, we came before Nananom for the matter to be heard. The chiefs upon consultation decided to step in and bring the matter to an end. They called the parties into chambers and gave them advice. The bottom line is that the case has come to an end, it won’t be called again.”
The 1992 Constitution states categorically in Article 276 (1) that, “a chief shall not take part in active party politics, and any chief wishing to do so and seeking election to Parliament shall abdicate his stool or skin”.
-BY Daniel Bampoe