The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has cautioned chiefs and opinion leaders to refrain from interceding on behalf of trouble makers in their communities, and allow the law enforcement agencies to carry out their constitutionally mandated duties.
He said he would not countenance the practice where some chiefs interfere with investigations by the police when some of their subjects find themselves in the grips of the law, explaining that such phenomenon has the tendency to draw back the clock of the progress of the country.
The President was addressing a durbar of the chiefs and people of Kenyasi in the Asutifi North District, as part of his two- day working visit to the Ahafo Region.
He was accompanied by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Kwaku Asoma Cheremeh; Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen; Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama; Deputy Chief of Staff, Kwadwo Asenso Boakye; Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation; Evans Opoku Bobbie, Ahafo Regional Minister and some party executives.
President Akufo-Addo said his government would not sit aloof and allow political parties and politicians to intimidate and put fear in the minds of Ghanaian voters through thuggery and bloodshed, just for the sake of winning political power, stressing that the passage of the Vigilantism and Related Offences Bill, 2019 would strengthen national peace and social cohesion.
Nana Osei Kofi Abiri, Paramount Chief of Kenyasi number one who spoke on behalf of all the chiefs in the Asutifi North commended the President for introducing the free Senior High School (SHS) and the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) programmes, which according to him have brought some relief to the people.
He appealed to the President to ensure the upgrade of the town roads in the area as well as improve on educational and health infrastructure in the district.
The President and his entourage later inspected work on a brick and tile factory under the One District One Factory (1D1F) project by the government at Tanoso in the Tano North District.
At Yamfo during a courtesy call, the Yamfomanhene Nana Ansa Adu Baa II appealed to the President to save the Bosomkese Forest Reserve in the area from further degradation by illegal loggers, chainsaw operators and galamseyers.
According to him officials of the Forestry Commission were “sleeping on duty” and allowing the perpetrators to have their way.
The situation, Nana Baa said needed urgent attention to restore the virgin forest so as to protect the environment and eco-system of the area.
FROM DANIEL DZIRASAH, KENYASI
