Monday, November 24, 2014

A BATTLE WITH FATE AND DESTINY, the story of a physically challenged teacher

A picture Mr. Patamia's worn-out prosthetic/artificial leg
Mr Patamia in his office
If there is anybody worth celebrating for his bold and masculine attitude to life, it is Mr. Godsway Kosi Patamia, the 44 year old physically challenged teacher and assistant headmaster of the Agormanya Methodist JHS in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality of the Eastern Region.

He is an embodiment of many virtues including optimism, selflessness and determination but the most pronounced of these attributes is his uncommon faith in God and the resilience with which he braved through a life of misery and what many initially considered a hopeless situation to become a first degree-holding teacher who would not mind teaching his students on an empty stomach and living on charity for nearly three years without salary which he worked for and so much deserve. 

Administrative bottleneck, improper coordination between his employer- the GES- and the Controller and Accountant General’s Department coupled with the wicked act of man’s insensitivity towards his fellow man painfully turned him into a beggar and yet he kept hope alive and his head above water even on a rather breezy sea of life.

What later turned a life full of challenges started when little Patamia- then aged 15 and a form 2 pupil of the Keta AME Zion school- was ran into by a saloon car on his way to school in the year 1985.

He was rushed to the Keta Government hospital after the accident but was transferred to the 37 Military Hospitals where he spent days without proper medical care because he could not be officially admitted due to the lack of hospital beds.

When after nearly four days it became obvious he wasn’t going to be admitted, he was referred to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital by which time his condition had worsened and almost beyond recovery.

The right leg ended up amputated; the left survived but remains mutilated and painful till date. When eventually he was discharged from the Korle Bu teaching hospital after two years on admission, he had to stay at the Adoagyire Orthopedic Center for an additional year during which he learnt to walk on an artificial (prosthetic) leg.
The badly mutilated leg which "survived" the accident

On his return after 3 years from the center, having been out of school all this while, nobody except his mother bought into his decision and desire to go back to school because many thought it worthless due to his condition.

Determined to prove that his misfortune was not the end of life, and with the support of his mother (Ms Peggy Dzidzoamenu), Michael Godsway found his way back into the classroom and progressed steadily through the Keta Business College (1989-1994) and later the Accra Teacher Training College from where he graduated a professional teacher in the year 2002.
As if to further prove his point, he would still not allow the myriad of challenges and his financial difficulties to suppress his inner desire to acquire higher education. After three years of teaching, he applied for study leave to enable him upgrade but he was refused study leave.

That would still not be a stumbling block for the determined young man. Having already gained admission into the University of Cape Coast, he proceeded to read English and Music for 4 years in the most challenging circumstances one could ever imagine, among which were his physical disability coupled with financial difficulties.

He had no room on campus yet financial difficulty would not permit him to lodge in any of the student hostels, at least not in his early years on campus. The student lounge and porters’ lodge virtually turned his place of residence. He slept on benches/any available slab and ate anything that could keep body and soul together until he eventually graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Music.

Upon completion, he came back and was re-engaged into the Ghana Education Service (GES) in 2009 and issued with an appointment letter as an English teacher and the assistant headmaster of the Agormanya Methodist JHS (where he has since been teaching) in the Eastern Region at the rank of a Principal Superintendent.

He thought that was going to be the end of his long chain of suffering but that was not to be. His situation was compounded when for 3 years; he was not paid a pesewa of his hard-earned salary due to the lack of proper coordination between his employer, G.E.S and the Controller and Accountant General whose mandate it was to process his documents to facilitate his payment.

As a result, a man of his status (assistant headmaster) had to virtually beg to survive compelling him, his four children and (then) expectant wife to live on charity and on the generosity of his colleague teachers and church members. (full story is available via this link http://www.modernghana.com/news/406323/1/physically-challenged-teacher-turns-a-beggar-due-t.html).

At a point, it only took the benevolence of his landlord to spare him eviction from his room after the expiration of his first rent which was paid by the Reverend Minister of the Agormanya Methodist Church where he fellowships.

Not even this treatment from his employers could take him of out the classroom. He taught with the highest form of sacrifice and dedication virtually on an empty stomach, making sure his students passed well and gained admission into Senior High School.
Mr. Patamia during instructional hours

JUSTIFICATION FOR THE REWARD
1. He must be showcased and rewarded to serve as a model and inspiration for the many physically challenged persons on the street who have virtually resigned to fate in the face of their conditions

2. He must be rewarded for his selfless service to the pupils of the Agormanya Methodist JHS and the community. Even when he was not being paid (for 3 years) during which time he, his 4 children and expectant wife were surviving on the benevolence of his colleague teachers, he still didn’t miss classes because of his love for the pupils and the profession

3. The reward and recognition will give him a more compelling reason to continue to live and press on in life even in his condition.

NB: This is an Airtel Touching Lives entry/story. It was submitted for season 3, but unfortunately, it did find favour with the selection team. Better luck next time, my good friend. 

The writer, Henking Adjase-Kodjo (right) with his journalist friend, Umaru Sanda Amadu of Citi FM in a pose with Mr. Patamia at his residence, Agromanya

Thursday, November 20, 2014

GHACEM, MANYA KROBOS IN A LEGAL TUSSLE over limestone deposit


The story as captured in the November 1, 2014 edition of the Daily Graphic newspaper, pg 13

Ghacem Limited and the Manya Krobo Traditional Council (MKTC) have locked horns in a legal battle that threatens to further strain an already sour relationship between the two.
This follows the filing of a suit by Ghacem against the latter for what it describes as interference in its Popotia limestone concession covering an area of 93.16km2 (23, 021. 00 acres).

Nene Agbau Narh III, 1st Defendant & Ag. Prez. of the MKTC
The suit was filed at the Koforidua High Court against Nene Agbau Narh III, Divisional Chief of Djebiam, in his capacity as the acting President of the Traditional Council. Four others have also been sued including Mr. E. K. Sackitey, Coordinator of the Manya Krobo Customary Lands Secretariat; Mr. Annor Divine, Chairman of the Limestone Land Owners Association, Lawatt Quarries Company Limited, a local mining firm, as well as one Nene Okletey.

The plaintiff is seeking among others, an order of quia timet injunction to restrain the Traditional Council, Mr. Sackitey, Mr. Annor and Nene Okletey from interfering with their concession. It is also demanding a declaration that the mining activities of Lawatt Quarries, the fifth defendant, constitute trespass on its concession.

The current disagreement was sparked by meeting held on September 24, 2014 attended by representatives of Ghacem, the Traditional Council and other stakeholders including the Manya Krobo Customary Lands Secretariat, The Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Assembly and youth groups. During the meeting, Nene Agbau Narh, then acting as the President of the Council ordered Ghacem to halt its operation in the Popotia application area as the various stakeholders still stood by their objection to the granting of that application.

Earlier, the council, in a letter dated September 17, 2014, conveyed to the Minerals Commission its decision ordering the plaintiff to cease operations in the Popotia application area until further notice.

The letter indicated, among others that Ghacem’s operation in those areas was illegal because all stakeholders including the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Assembly, the Traditional Council, Customary Lands Secretariat, landowners and other concerned groups objected to the issuance of reconnaissance license to Ghacem by the Minerals Commission as indicated in a letter from the Municipal Assembly dated October 15, 2010.

When contacted, Nene Agbau Narh III, the first defendant preferred to remain silent until the determination of the case.

Dr. George Dawson Amoah, Head of Strategy and Corp. Affairs, Ghacem
Dr. George Dawson-Amoah, Strategy and Corporate Affairs Director of Ghacem confirmed initiating the legal action and said “that was because the defendants were putting impediments in our way”.

In a related development, a Youth and Advocacy group in the area, Kloma Gbi, has expressed shock at the decision by Ghacem to initiate a court action against the traditional rulers of the community within which it derives its raw materials.

Ign. Philip Tetteh Padi, Commissioner of  Kloma Gbi
Commissioner of the group, Ing. Philip Tetteh Padi, said “though it is Ghacem’s legal right to initiate any such action when aggrieved, it would have been prudent exploring other alternatives to solve the issue, taking cognizance of the likely effect of the action”.

He declined to comment on the substantive issue except to say that as youth of the area, they were prepared to stand by their Chiefs in a situation like this especially looking at their side of the argument.

It would be recalled that Ghacem has been mining limestone in the area for the past ten years following the commissioning of the quarry at Odugblase in 2004 by the Ex-President John Agyekum Kuffour.

 Published: Saturday November 1, 2014, pg 13, Daily Graphic

CHILD LABOUR BOOMS IN LOWER MANYA KROBO

One of the many children literally breaking their spine on the Agormanya market to make a living
Some of the children carting heavy goods in return for money
The Agormanya market in the Lower Manya Krobo District of the Eastern Region has turned a hot spot for child labour where countless children of school going age, mainly driven by survival instincts, engage in jobs detrimental to their health.

The children mostly aged between 10 and 15 years evade classes in their respective schools to do business all day on Wednesday, the main market day at Agormanya as well as on Saturday. While majority of them cart the goods of their clients in hired wheelbarrows and on trucks, others who can't afford hiring the equipment carry heavy loads across the length and breadth of the market just to keep body and soul intact.

As if to encourage the trade, some businessmen in the area have taken advantage of the booming trade to engage in the business of hiring the wheelbarrows and other such equipment to the children at the cost of GHC 1.50 a day.
One of the children loading his wheelbarrow

Some of the children interviewed linked their plight to the lack of parental support and the need for survival. Others clearly admitted they were enticed into the business by the plush spending habit in school of their colleagues who first ventured into the trade. They indicated that their number is fast rising because most of their friends keep expressing interest in the trade and they join soon after.

The writer interviewing some of the children
In an interview, 12-year-old Tetteh Daniel, a pupil of the Agormanya Methodist Primary School said “I do this to support my ailing grandmother and siblings and to cater for my educational needs; I wish I could also enjoy a hustle-free life like my other colleagues from good homes but conditions dictate otherwise”.

He said “My dad is deceased and my mum lives with my stepfather in the city but she hardly shows any concern for our welfare”.

Mrs. Irene Ayernor, Director of Education of the Lower Manya Krobo District confirmed knowledge of the phenomenon and described it as unfortunate. She said the phenomenon has a direct effect on the overall academic performance in the district because it reduces the contact /instructional hours between the teacher and the children. We realize some of the children come to school really tired and in a psychological state unsuitable for academic work”.

Asked what her outfit was doing to stem the tide, she said “ The District Education Oversight Committee including myself, the District Chief Executive, representatives from the District Assembly and the Traditional Council held series of meetings and advised the District Assembly to enact bye-laws that would empower us to deal drastically with the situation”. She said the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and the School Management Committee (SMC) have all been tasked to educate the parents, adding “I even go to the market personally to put fear in the children”.
The writer, Henking Adjase-Kodjo familiarising himself with activities on the market

The District Chief Executive, Isaac Agbo Tetteh told said his outfit has set a task force comprising the Police Service, Social Welfare, Commission on Human Right and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Ministry of Women and Children Affair (MOWAC) and the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) to ascertain the main cause of the phenomenon.

He said there would be a one month sensitization programme with the use of the Assembly's information van to make both parents and the children aware of the effect of the practice before the task force zooms into action to arrest the children. “After the arrest, those found to have dropped out of school would be sent back with support; the rest would also be sorted out depending on their needs while steps are taken to deter them from going back to the trade”.

Last year, the district recorded 49.62% pass rate in the Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE), with three schools scoring zero percent, a further decline in the performance in the district.

Published: 18 May, 2012, Modernghana.com

http://www.modernghana.com/news/396314/1/child-labour-booms-in-lower-manya-krobo-district.html


The writer, Henking Adjase-Kodjo with some of the children on the trip
As part of the Warm Embrace project (under the Vodafone World of Difference Programme), the writer organised an educational trip for some of the children. They were taken on a tour of the Balm Library of the University of Ghana (among others), the Accra Mall, and the Kwame Nkrumah Museum. Below are some of the pictures of the trip.
In the University of Ghana computer lab

Coming back from the Great hall



The children boarding the vehicle at the Agormanya Roman Catholic Parish

The bus with which the trip was made

Breakfast in the bus

 @ the entrance of the Balm Library

@ the Great Hall


Time to relax at the Accra Mall




Klonene Saki Kodji leading the children into the Kwame Nkrumah  memorial park

A long shot of the museum

In the museum

Lunch time in the Memorial park

Add caption

Add caption

Group picture with the children and reps from the Krobo Students Union of the Univ. of Gh.

An exclusive with the males

An exclusive with the females



Tuesday, November 18, 2014

OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT ... about 2014 Ngmayem festival

The Prez. (middle) delivering his address during the 2012 Ngmayem festival durbar
Hi Mr. President,
I bring you warm felicitation from the home of quality & original beads and rich culture, Odumase-Krobo. It has become necessary that I check on you and make a few observations known to you as we the Krobos wrap up and start a new year this October.
The whole of this week, the town has been bubbling with rich cultural activities to mark the annual Ngmayem festival of the Chiefs and people of my Manya Krobo (my homeland).

We have a few more days and activities to go but tomorrow (Friday October 30, 2014) is the d-day for the grand durbar which will see lots of dignitaries in attendance.

I vividly remember that you graced the durbar in October 2012 but some of us were under the impression that you came that year because you needed us (our votes) even more than we needed you to add to the beauty of the durbar.

I was personally not convinced that you would have come that year looking at how tight you were on the day but you surprisingly came (though late) because it was an election year and your presence must be felt to pull you some more floating votes.

I still remember that you hurried through your schedule and your “equally important national assignments” (as is often the excuse) one of which was that year’s National Ed….. gathering/celebration in the capital city of Accra which ended around mid-day.

Ordinarily, our durbar ends just around mid-day or 1pm latest, but that year, we had to “WASTE” time in wait for you because you wanted to come at all cost. And true to your words (and promise to come) you drove at “top speed” from Accra and arrived at Odumase-Krobo within the blinking of an eye and hey, you, characteristic of you, wowed and sparked the crowd on your arrival. Whether or not your coming resulted in the massive votes you garnered in the presidential election is something I can’t really prove with figures, but I shudder to think that it did.

I also know that because it often rains on the durbar day every year, the practice has been to swerve the rain by closing the durbar early, say by noon. That year was an exception, we waited and waited for you, drummed and danced to while away time. We literally had to pause the main activities of the programme with a LOOOOOOONNNGGGG musical interlude from the Police band.
The Police band that gave us the long musical interlude


One of the chiefs being beaten by the rain
Before we could say jack, it started raining and you even had to deliver your speech under the cover of an umbrella. That was the first day I saw chief literally swimming in palanquins. We were heavily beaten by the rain on our return from the durbar and that was because we delayed.

Why would I conclude that you came in 2012 mainly to pick your badly needed vote? President Kuffour did same in 2008 (also an election year) and that was the last time I saw a sitting president at the durbar (at least in recent times) until you also came in 2012 (also an election year). I know you can’t be jumping from one festival to the other throughout the year, neither can you be at our Ngmayem durbar annually but when you time your coming to coincide only with an election year, then you push us into arriving at the conclusion that you come only when YOU NEED US and not really when we do

I am watching with rapt attention and in an attention position if you will prove me wrong.
Sources have told me you have been invited and you are coming godo godo; please do ok to clear that baseless perception of mine (only formed through observation)

I welcome you I advance

Mo heeeeeeee Mr. President !!!!
And it rained heavily

Traditional priests (in white) on their way from the durbar ground

EVY DELA, THE OPTIMIST EXTRAORDINAIRE

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Story and pictures to be uploaded shortly

Monday, November 17, 2014

SOOTHING THE SORROW OF THEY THAT MOURN- An Airtel Touching Lives nomination

Written by Henking A. Adjase-Kodjo and his friend, Larnor Samuel Asare
Video available via this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjrzOXCqMEw&feature=youtu.be
Life was normal for this family until events took a negative turn when the mother of the home suddenly and painfully died during childbirth at the Asesewa Government hospital leaving behind five children including the unfortunate baby boy whose birth marked the start of the rather sad history of the Kwapong family of Asesewa in the Upper Manya Krobo district.

When on Tuesday December 14, 2010, late Mateko Kwapong was rushed from her home to the Asesewa Government Hospital amidst painful labour, hopes were high in anticipation of the arrival of a new born together with a healthy mother but that was not to be. A new born joined the family but that was the end of the life of Mateko who died out of complications which were beyond the expertise of the medical team at post, leaving behind five children (3 males and 2 females) including the unlucky child.

Little Rebecca Kwapong, then aged 20, the eldest of the children and a final year student of the St. Annes Vocational Training Institute had to quickly adjust and assume the role of a mother, combining both academic work and home keeping while nursing the baby boy.
With this support, complemented by the efforts of a hard-working father-  Daniel Kwapong -  life moved on though a bit jerky until the hardest of blows hit the family within an interval of two months after the demise of the mother of the home.      

Two days to the start of the burial and funeral rite for his wife, slated for February 4, 2011 and on one of his many trips in preparation, the Hyndai mini bus in which Daniel was traveling from Asesewa to Manpong (Odumase-Krobo) was brutally attacked around 8pm by armed robbers at Ayermersu on the main Odumase-Asesewa road and shot dead in the right rib. All the other 11 passengers on board were spared but Daniel because he had in his possession- which was the envy of the robbers- lots of money meant for the wife’s funeral two days away.

What was supposed to be the funeral rite for one (the wife) turned the funeral rite for both husband and wife, leaving the five children- Rebecca, 21yrs; Samuel, 18yrs; Korkor, 13yrs; Emmanuel, 10yrs and ill-fated Teye Kwapong, less than a year old- to their fate. On Saturday February 12, 2011- the worst of days in the lives of these family- both parents who laid, hand in hand on same bed were finally enveloped in the bellies of the earth side by side.

As if that was not enough pain for this poor family, another Hyndai passenger bus carrying sympathizers to the funeral that fateful Friday February 11, 2011 was involved in a gory accident almost at the same spot of the robbery leading to the lost of one more life while several other people were fatally injured.

Strange as it was, the funeral expectedly attracted the highest number of mourners ever witnessed in the town with lots of sympathy towards the children but which only lasted for the period of the funeral.

Now out of school but jobless, Rebecca is faced with working out magic on daily basis to provide not only for herself but for the needs of Samuel, a first year science student of the Pope Johns Senior High School; Korkor and Emmanuel, primary 4 and 1 pupils of the Asesewa Roman Catholic School and occasionally little Teye who is currently in the custody of a maternal aunt. She is also confronted with the yearly renewal of the rent of their hired home where they are currently putting up as well as many such commitments with or without support from the extended family.

Now branded and believed to be a “wizard” and the cause of the train of negative events (Arising out of our African, for that matter Ghanaian mentality), all but his immediate relations shy away from the innocent baby boy,Teye, who grows up to face a world that has already taken a negative stance against him.

Come to think of the fact that 21-year-old Rebecca who should have – under normal circumstances- been under someone’s care by now, has had to not only fend for herself but double as both mother and father to her orphaned siblings, we could not help but nominate them for – at least- the smallest of supports from Airtel in the ongoing Touching Lives TV programme to sooth their sorrow.

WHY THE NEED FOR THE SUPPORT
1. Losing one’s parents in rapid succession as did these young once, particularly in the manner they did could be such an unpleasant experience that could leave one traumatized for good. Therefore, any intervention from Airtel both material and financial would go a long way to lessen particularly the plight of Rebecca, now the breadwinner and the visibly hopeless family.

2. Though brilliant, these young and innocent children risk dropping out of school with no sign of what the future holds for them thereafter.

3. With the breakdown in our social support and extended family system, there is little hope for any reliable helping hand for all 5 of them, if any at all hence the need for Airtel’s intervention to enable these children to actualize their dreams.


4. For her determined effort and support for her siblings, Rebecca should be rewarded to further motivate her to continue her good work.

Following this nomination, Airtel came to the rescue of the family, moved them out of their crumbling mud house and rented a two bedroom apartment for them for two years. They were also given GHC 5000.00 education support to enable Samuel (the second born) who was then reading Science in Pope John Secondary School to complete her secondary education. Rebecca was also supported with catering equipment such as fridge, oven, micro wave among several others to set her up in business as a caterer. 
Here, Rebecca is seen receiving the prize from an Airtel staff.

Watch full video via this link

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

BOYCOTT !!! LOWER MANYA KROBO DECLARES SELF-GOVERNMENT

The story as captured on the front page of Daily Graphic of Thursday October 3, 2013.
The EDITORIAL of the day (Oct, 3, 2014) was dedicated to the issue
The Lower  Manya  Krobo Municipal Assembly (LMKMA) may soon be counting its losses in taxes following the declaration of “self-governance” by the chiefs and people of the Manya Krobo Traditional Council.

The decision means a boycott of the payment of tolls, taxes and levies which constitute internally generated funds (IGFs) on which the assembly runs.

Currently, an interim management team is managing the affairs of the assembly, which has been without elected members since 2010.

Last week, the Manya Krobo Traditional Council issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Electoral Commission (EC) to announce a date for assembly elections, which were not held in 2010 because of a dispute over the alignment of seven electoral areas in the municipality in the Eastern Region with the Dangme West District in the Greater Accra Region.

The ultimatum

In a letter dated Tuesday, September 24, 2013 and addressed to the Chairman of the EC, the council had stated that the date for the election must not be later than Friday, October 25, 2013, the day for the grand durbar for this year’s annual Ngmayem Festival.

But with the EC failing to yield to their demands, the chiefs and people made their intention to carry out their threat known at a press conference at the Agormanya Roman Catholic Parish Hall.

Speaking at the highly charged press conference, Nene Asada Ahor I, the Chief of Akuse and Public Relations Officer of the council, warned: “If by the last week of this month, when we celebrate our annual Ngmayem Festival, the elections are not held, we will take the campaign a step further to aggressively demand our constitutional rights as a people.”

He did not reveal what the council would do further, but said it would be made known at the right time.

More than 50 armed riot policemen pitched camp at the church to ensure law and order at the press conference.

Even though the event was peaceful, seemingly angry natives of the area, clad in red, intermittently sang war songs and chanted in unison to express their frustration at the prevailing situation.

Nene Ahor said the chiefs and people had been compelled to take the decision following what they “perceived as blatant disregard for our welfare and constitutional right to issue a seven-day ultimatum, within which the EC was expected to, if for nothing at all, announce the provisional date for the elections. Once again, our request and ultimatum were treated with scorn”.

The chiefs and people of Manya Krobo and the EC have been in disagreement since 2010.

Even though the case went to court and the Supreme Court, on June 13, 2012, ruled in favour of the traditional council, thereby preventing the EC from altering the borders of the Manya Krobo municipality, appeals to the EC to organise the assembly election have not yielded any fruit.

Letter from the Presidency

Indeed, a letter dated June 28, 2013, signed by Dr Raymond Atuguba, the Executive Secretary to the President, addressed to the Chairman of the EC and copied to the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development and the Office of the President had asked the EC to take the required action on a request from the Local Government Ministry for elections to be held in the municipality.

In that respect, Nene Ahor said, “For nearly three years we have not had assembly members in our various communities as the other municipalities and districts in the country do and nobody is giving us any official reason for the continuous delay, despite our numerous appeals.”

Mr Philip Tetteh Padi, the Commissioner for Kloma Gbi, a Krobo youth pressure group,  said, “The chiefs are not into this campaign alone. We the youth and the citizenry are in as well and will contribute to any effort and activity lined up to demand our constitutional rights.”

Assembly’s response

In his reaction, the Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Isaac Agbo Tetteh, said while he agreed with the need for the EC to hold elections, the assembly would not endorse the action of the chiefs and the people.

“It is against the law to incite people not to pay tolls and taxes. As far as I’m concerned, the law is explicit; not even the President nor I can prevent people from paying taxes,” he added.

Responding to the concerns raised, the Public Affairs Director of the EC, Mr Christian Owusu-Parry, said he was not “aware of any letter on the outstanding district level elections”.

He said it was not the fault of the EC that the elections were not held in the municipality in 2010.

“Before the elections, the people of Lower Manya Krobo stormed the EC office and locked the place up because of challenges with some electoral areas. By that conduct, they made it impossible for us to conduct the elections,” he said.

That notwithstanding, Mr Owusu Parry said, currently the issue was being given consideration by the EC.

He said after the Supreme Court ruling, there had been consultations between the EC and the Local Government Ministry.

He, however, declined to give timelines for the elections in the municipality, saying, “I cannot give the exact date the election will be held there but it is being given due consideration.”

Background

In 2010, a Parliamentary Sub-Legislation Committee, acting on the Local Government Instrument 2010, LI 1983 (Creation of New District Electoral Areas and Designation of Units), illegally aligned seven electoral areas — Zongo New Town, Akutue, Osukutu, Bungalow, Amedeka, Salon and Natriku — at Akuse, originally part of the Lower Manya Krobo municipality in the Eastern Region to the Dangme West District (now Shai-Osudoku District) in the Greater Accra Region, sparking off a boundary dispute that led to the suspension of the assembly elections in the entire municipality.

Subsequent to that, attempts were made by the EC during the 2010 district assembly elections to rope the candidates of the seven disputed electoral areas into the  elections under the Dangme West District, leading to a near bloody attack and months-long closure of the EC’s office in the Manya Krobo District.

The elections, however, took place at Natriku but not at the other six communities.

As a result, the Manya Krobo Traditional Council, led by the Defender of the Krobo State, Mahefalor Nene Kwesitsu Azago I, and Mr Charles Mate-Kole secured an injunction to restrain the EC from conducting the elections in the entire Manya Krobo municipality, rendering the assembly empty till date.

After what proved to be a costly legal battle spanning a period of one-and-a-half years (December 2010 to June 2012), the Supreme Court declared the said LI 1983 unconstitutional and retained the electoral areas in Lower Manya in the Eastern Region.

But more than two years after the assembly elections were held nationwide and nearly one-and-a-half years after the ruling on the dispute by the Supreme Court (on June 13, 2012), the elections are yet to be held.

Published: Thursday October 3, 2013, Front page

- See more at: http://graphic.com.gh/news/politics/1295-boycott-lower-manya-krobo-declares-self-government.html#sthash.ifyyxQgc.dpuf


Front page

Page 3

Page 7
Opinion: By Shaibu Kofi

Opinion: By Hilary Saki Kodji

Opinion: By Herman Domeno Ablade Adjase-Kodjo

Opinion: By Christian Lankwei Odartey