Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye is former Ledzokuku MP
• Dr. Okoe Boye has reacted to issues surrounding the president and the Aflao paramount chief
• He believes the chief could have done better with his utterances
• Others are asking for an apology from Akufo-Addo
Paramount Chief of Aflao, Togbui Amenya Fiti V, erred by giving an ultimatum to the education minister over the delay in completion of an E-block project in his area.
This is according to former Ledzokuku MP, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye.
Speaking on Joynews’ Newsfile programme Saturday, Dr. Okoe Boye said, though the paramount chief’s concerns were genuine, his method of relaying it was wrong.
“If the chief has a concern, it is genuine. But let me say this, it is very important, the chief said ‘I had to be going to Accra, I went begging’. He used the word ‘begging’. Is a chief supposed to beg? Strictly speaking, no but because there’s competition for resources. I’ve also begged for resources for Ledzokuku because I know I’m competing with Salaga, Koforidua, etc.
“So if you are a chief and a project is not going the way you want, the tone and way you speak is not to give ultimatums, if you appreciate the dynamics of governance,” Dr. Okoe Boye said.
His comments come following reactions to President Akufo-Addo’s comments about the Aflao Chief, Togbui Adzongaga Amenya Fiti V’s, given ultimatum for the completion of an E-block in his area.
The Paramount Chief of Aflao, Torgbui Adzongaga Amenya Fiti V had demanded that a contractor who had abandoned work on a school block in his area return to complete the project within four months.
He said this whilst speaking when Minority MPs on Parliament’s Education Committee paid a courtesy call on him.
According to the paramount chief, work on the Senior High School building which commenced under the E-block initiative by the erstwhile John Dramani Mahama government, has been abandoned over time. He thus called on the Minister of Education, Yaw Osei Adutwum to ensure that the project is completed within the period he specified.
President Akufo-Addo, in a reaction to this during an interview on Peace FM however questioned why the paramount chief would issue an ultimatum to his minister about the completion of a project.
”Is he the one going to give the minister of education ultimatum?”, he questioned.
Prompted by the host that the chief’s request may be borne out of frustration, President Akufo-Addo replied that Torgbui Adzongaga Amenya Fiti V should “go ahead and complete the project himself” if he feels frustrated about the current situation.
Many have since reacted to the comments, describing it as an insult to the paramount chief.
But Dr. Okoe Boye says the chief was not measured in his utterances considering he was addressing authority in government.
He also suggested that contrary to what had been portrayed, the said E-block project was merely at the floor level when the NPP government took over and invested resources till its completion.
“It is instructive to note and a lot of people don’t know, that the project wasn’t complete before we came. The impression was created that they built an E-block, because of our non-committal, we’ve left it and it’s rotten,” he said.
Adding, “Apparently they had done first floor. After 4 years in power, it was first floor. They had done the wooden structure to now do the concrete for the second floor. This government did the second and third floors, did all the finishing and in operationalizing the school, it also takes time and someone can say oh but it can be quicker, I wouldn’t contend that.
“But it is important for us to be honest in our discussions that this government has also committed resources to that project.”