OSAGYEFO AGYEMAN BADU URGES POLITICAL TOLERANCE (SPREAD, JAN 3, 2011)

Ghanaians, especially supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), have been advised to be tolerant of one another’s view, since democracy thrives on the free expression of divergent views and opinions.
Speaking at an end-of-year get-together organised by the Dormaa Traditional Council, the Omanhene of the Dormaa Traditional Area in the Brong Ahafo Region, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II, said, “The fact that you disagree with the views or opinions expressed by someone who does not share your political ideology does not make the person an enemy.”
He, therefore, appealed to supporters of political parties to accommodate one another’s views to ease the political tension in the country as the nation entered 2011, a year before the 2012 general election.
The occasion was also used to present scholarship packages to 128 senior high and tertiary students from the traditional area. The packages were provided by the Dormaaman Educational Endowment Fund (DORMEEF).
Osagyefo Agyeman Badu noted that the traditional area had not been spared the intolerance that had crept into the country’s politics, sometimes leading to undesired consequences.
In that regard, he appealed to supporters of the NDC and the NPP within his jurisdiction not to allow their political differences to divide them as a people, saying that they should rather unite for the sake of Dormaa and Ghana as a whole.
“At the end of the day, we are one people with a common destiny and politics must not make us enemies,” he said.
He used the opportunity to appeal to the government to use 2011 to extend electricity to all towns and villages in the traditional area that had not been connected to the national grid.
“Sleeping in darkness is against the fundamental human rights of citizens, so in 2011 all communities in the traditional area must have electricity,” he stressed.
The Dormaahene further appealed to the government to tar Dormaa Ahenkro town roads and upgrade the Dormaa-Nkrankwanta-Sefwi and the Gambia-Kyeremasu roads to facilitate commercial activities in the traditional area.
Osagyefo Agyeman Badu commended the government for the provision of massive educational infrastructure in the traditional area during its two-year stay in office.
He expressed the hope that President Mills would make good his declaration that 2011 was going to be an action year that would bring tremendous improvement into the living standards of every Ghanaian.
He commended his people for sustaining the peace and stability in the area and contributing to the development of the area and hoped that 2011 would be a prosperous one for them all.
Touching on the Ivorian crisis, the Dormaahene called for dialogue, instead of military force, to resolve the matter.
The Gyasehene of the Dormaa Traditional Area, Barima Oppong Yaw Ababio, earlier in his welcoming address, had pledged the support of the traditional council to all assembly members and unit committee members in the traditional area and urged them to team up with the assembly for the development of the area.