Friday, March 26, 2010

TECHIMANHENE DEBUNKS MEDIA REPORTS (PAGE 20, MARCH 26, 2010)

THE Omanhene of Techiman Traditional Area, Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw II, has debunked claims in the media that he was present at his palace at Techiman when the Omanhene of Tuobodom, Nana Asare Baffour, was arrested at Wenchi and brought to his palace.
Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw, who is a banker, said he was at his office in Sunyani when he was informed that the Omanhene of Tuobodom had been brought to his palace.
He claimed that he quickly called in the police to pick up the chief, and further instructed other members of the Techiman Traditional Council to contact the Techiman Municipal Police Commander to ensure that the right thing was done.
The Techimanhene stated further that he also informed the Regional Police Commander of the unfolding scenario but before the police team reached Techiman, the Municipal Police Commander had put the Omanhene of Tuobodom behind bars.
He said, “Therefore, there was nothing like a rescue operation or kidnapping as is being misrepresented by the media."
"Even though, I am not a lawyer by profession, I am aware that citizens have the right to arrest any criminal like Nana Asare Baffour, who organised an assassination attempt on me and my convoy, and hand him or her to the police," he said, quoting the Criminal Code.
Addressing a news conference at his palace in Techiman last Monday, Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw said when the suspected criminal was put behind bars, his lawyer, Nana Obiri Boahen, a former Minister of State, allegedly went on radio stations to incite a section of the people of Tuobodom, who took arms, attacked and killed Kwasi Takyi, a nephew of the Tuobodomhene and Nana Obeng Ameyaw, who owes allegiance to Techiman.
He said such unfortunate situation sparked off the current conflict, adding that the confusion formed part of the tactics employed by the lawyer to cover up the actual crime committed by the paramount chief of Tuobodom.
Oseadeeyo Ameyaw Akumfi said, "As for the statement of the Asantehene, the least said about it the better. On second thought, some of us would like to believe that the Asantehene was misinformed about the whole issue and he decided to swallow whatever he heard, that is why he has been insulting me,” the Techimanhene stated.
“We have decided to watch him from the sideline with sadness, because he has allowed himself to be misled. His action led to the unfortunate situation where macho men, allegedly hired by the Manhyia Palace, attacked buses coming to Techiman and assaulted the passengers. Meanwhile, these people were not all Techiman citizens, but some of them were from all over the country, including Ashanti Region,” he said.
Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw observed that leadership in whatever sphere of life must be used to bring progress, to help colleagues, peers, friends and, indeed, everybody to achieve their goals and objectives.
The Techimanhene stated further that it was rather the Asantehene and Lawyer Obiri Boahen who were planting conflict in society, and advised the Asantehene to cool down and allow the law to take its course.
“Our duty as citizens is to assist the police to enforce the law. If the Asantehene is stating that he will catch me and behead me, I leave everything to the security services to decide, because I am a law-abiding citizen, and the last thing I will do is to threaten the life of an innocent citizen,” Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw added.
The Techimanhene also appealed to the media to be circumspect in their reportage about the Tuobodom stand-off and allow reasoning and truth to prevail.
He stated that the chiefs and people of Techiman believed in ‘jaw-jaw’ rather than going to war, and as such they had always resorted to the law courts to seek redress in any matter that might crop up as a result of the Tuobodom issue.

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