The Network Axim Development (NADEV), a community development-oriented youth group has condemned an NPP youth wing press conference held to smear and attack the person of Nana Osei Nkwantabisa, the Nkosuohene of Lower Axim Traditional Area in the Western region.
According to the Axim youth, the NPP group were calling for Nana Nkwantabisa’s head for challenging Madam Afeku over the expenses of the money claimed to have been spent on the Kundum festival.
The Auditor General’s recently published 2018 Report stated that GH 200,000 was misappropriated for Kundum and that the Chief Director of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture should ensure that the money is refunded, but the former Minister claimed the money was used to pay artists who performed during the Kundum festival celebrations of Nsein, Axim, and Nkroful, an assertion denied by Nana Osei Nkwantabisa as he being the chairman of the planning committee was not aware of such expenditures.
The Network for Axim Development in a press statement issued by its President Stephen Armah, he condemned the attacks on the Nkosuohene of Lower Axim and urged him to remain focused and continue with the truth because the youth are aware that he is for the truth and should not be intimidated.
“Nana Nkwantabisa will not apologize to Madam Catherine Afeku because he has done nothing wrong to warrant an apology from the former minister,” the statement read.
The full statement is as follows:
NETWORK FOR AXIM DEVELOPMENT (NADEV)
(Registered with RGD in 2015)
Dated: 27, August 2021
Media Release
LEAVE NANA NKWANTABISA ALONE – HE IS NOT A COWARD TO APOLOGISE TO DISHONEST AFEKU
We wish to condemn the unwarranted and unnecessary attack on the person of Nana Osei Nkwantabisa, Nkosuohene of Lower Axim Traditional Area and Chairman of the Axim Kundum Planning Committee, carried out by a disgruntled youth group affiliated with Madam Catherine Ablema Afeku, former MP for Evalue Gwira.
The disgruntled NPP youth group numbering about thirty called for Nana Nkwantabisa’s head in their press conference, as we see their unhealthy approach as championing the destoolment of Nana Nkwantabisa, the Nkosuohene of Lower Axim Traditional Council.
Furthermore, we stand firmly behind and support Nana Nkwantabisa because his actions were correct when he was granted an interview by both Peace FM and TV stations to investigate the circumstances surrounding the GH 200,000 expenditure.
It should be noted that the most recent auditor’s report did not name any constituency that oversaw the distribution of the aforementioned fund, but the specified dates show that the Axim Kundum celebration fell on that period, as captured by the Auditor General.
We must also remember that the former Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Hon. Catherine Afeku, confirmed that the money had been refunded in an interview with an Accra-based Citi Fm but later stated on Peace Fm a day later that the money had already been spent and could not be refunded, and we must ask which of her claims should we, the youth of Axim, believe?
She specifically mentioned Axim, Nkroful, and Nsein Kundum celebrations in her interview with Citi Fm, where Nana Nkwantabisa discredited her claim as false and denied ever witnessing or thanking her for bringing such musicians to Axim, and we will urge Nana Nkwantabisa not to apologize because he did nothing wrong in setting the record straight.
Nana Nkwantabisa also gave an account of the money donated to the planning committee as GHS 7,000 received from the former Tourism, Arts, and Culture minister and maintained his stance on several platforms.
It is important to note that Awulae Agyefi Kwame 111, Omahene of Nsein, has come out to deny ever benefiting or witnessing the expenses from Madam Afeku Kundum’s “Golden handshake” from such fund.
Let the former minister know that Nana Nkwantabisa, also known as Evans Osei Baffour, cannot be intimidated, and that we, the youth and members of NADEV, a registered youth association in good standing in Nzema East, stand firm behind our young Nkosuohene and will ensure he does not make any bogus apology to Madam Afeku because he did nothing wrong in speaking the truth.
Let those illegal and politically backed groups, led by well-known character assassination contractor Theophilus Musah, who once smeared Prof Nokoe when our chiefs proposed him to be appointed as the CEO of Ghana Gas, know that Nana Nkwantabisa has been officially and legally enstooled as the Nkosuohene of Lower Axim Traditional Council and appointed the Chairman of the Axim Kundum planning committee.
We would like to remind Hon. Catherine Afeku to thoroughly check her records for such disparaging remarks against this gentleman who stands for the truth over corrupt and nefarious deeds that are pursuing her.
She must also be informed that when confronted by the media, Nana Nkwantabisa did speak in his capacity as the Chairman of the Axim Kundum planning committee, which includes the Lower and Upper Axim Traditional Councils, but spoke in his capacity as the Chairman of the Axim Kundum planning committee, and his action was approved by his Nana Edusei, who shockingly denied and betrayed his Chairman, and we see his act as very treacherous and dangerous.
Calling for the detoolment or removal of Nana Nkwantabisa’s chieftaincy title as the Nkosuohene of Lower Axim Traditional Council will not and will never happen because we are steadfastly in support of his truthfulness and visionary ideas, and if nothing else, he brought back both Vodafone and MTN who had left Axim Kundum for years, thanks to his wonderful contacts.
We, the Network for Axim Development (NADEV), would like to issue a strong warning to the Madam Afeku-led and sponsored mushroom youth wing and its convenors to refrain from further attacking the persona and holding any form of subsequent baseless demonstrations because Nana Nkwantabisa is not a coward to eat back his words.
It is now clear that whoever fueled this unnecessary press conference has a hidden agenda to sweep under the carpet this financial malfeasance and bury the truth forever by using the innocent youth whom she couldn’t use both her office as Minister and MP to facilitate and help get them jobs and other opportunities to venture into.
We therefore charge Nana Nkwantabisa to continue standing firm on the truth in this matter, as we, the youth, are proud of his courageous and truthful way of life in defending a rumored cooked unknown cash expense on the people of Axim.
Legally, this group has also erred because both the Upper and Lower Traditional Councils do not officially know your existence, according to records, and are expected to dismiss your simple hatred petition submitted to the (AG) President of the Upper Axim Traditional Area as soon as possible.
We encourage her to come out with sound defense measures rather than rallying behind these innocent souls who are being used as apostles to artificially decorate her wounds.
We respectfully request that the two Paramount Chiefs, Upper and Lower Axim, investigate this matter thoroughly in order for peace to prevail, as has been done by Awulae Agyefi Kwame II, Paramount Chief of Nsein Traditional Area, who has distanced himself from the rot that Madam Afeku has been attempting to defend.
Thank you
Thanks for your attention.
…..Signed….
Stephen Kabenlah Armah.
(President/Founder).
0245128186