The Asogli State Council is demanding an immediate apology from the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and its National Chairman, Freddie Blay, for “insulting and disrespecting” Agbogbomefia Togbe Afede XIV.
Their request comes on the back of a story published by a news portal; Mynews, claiming that Freddie Blay had described Togbe Afede as an ignorant person who talks like a palm-wine tapper, following his comments on the acquisition of 275 mini buses for 275 constituencies by the NPP’s newly elected Chairman.
The story, titled ‘Stop the ignorance and “palm-wine business talk” – Blay replies Togbe Afede, said Mr. Blay questioned if Togbe Afede, a Chief and a businessman, made his money as a palmwine tapper.
A statement signed by Secretary of the Asogli State Council, Stephen Tetteh, said the Council takes “strong exceptions to the statements, names and comments in this reply as they are insulting and disrespectful.”
They threatened to take the next line of action if the party and Mr. Blay fails to apologize for the offensive comments.
These alleged comments from Mr. Blay came to the fore after Togbe Afede waded into the controversy surrounding the acquisition of the 275 buses.
Togbe Afede, a businessman who is also the President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, said the move by Freddie Blay deepens the corruption perception. He thus urged chiefs to help address the worsening perception and incidence of corruption in the country.
“Let me say that the frequency of corruption at elections is worrying; because that sequence itself suggests the lack of trust and lack of transparency…. And I think that we all have to work hard to minimize the frequency of perceptions of corruption and corruption. Nananom [Chiefs] should lead the fight and should talk for transparency. Sometime ago, it was one party building a multi-million dollar headquarters, we all sat down and did not complain. And recently, an aspiring chairman of a party buying several 275 vehicles. These are matters that should attract Nananom’s attention. And I’m very happy that at least the latest one has attracted the attention of the special prosecutor. Unfortunately, the canker has spread so deeply” the Cheif said about the 275 buses controversy.
It’s foolish to question timing for my 275 buses – Freddie Blay
The Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay has described as “foolish” the questions about the timing of his purchase of 275 buses for New Patriotic Party (NPP) constituencies across the country.
Speaking in a Joy News interview, Freddie Blay said arrangements for the purchase of the minibuses were several months ahead of the NPP’s delegates conference and was before he sought reelection.
“Why now? If yesterday I didn’t do business and today I do business, [they’ll] ask why now. It is a very foolish question for people to ask. If some people have done it yesterday and today I am in the position to do it. That arrangement was not started two weeks to election, not one month to election… It’s about 11 months [ago]. I had not even decided to contest,” he said.
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Source: Citinewsroom.com/Ghana
