The Ashanti Regional Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Kwame Zu has apologized over comments he made against Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin.
Mr Zu in a statement said he unreservedly render an unqualified apology to the Okyenhene, the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council and indeed all Ghanaians for the said statement.
“I hereby wish to unreservedly render an unqualified apology to the Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council and indeed all Ghanaians for the said statement,” he said in a press release on Monday.
His comments during a demonstration by the Coalition for National Sovereignty in Kumasi against the Okyenhene received widespread condemnation culminating into a demonstration by residents of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional area on Monday.
He reportedly said that until the intervention of then-President John Mahama, the Okyenhene had to resort to sharing drinking water with animals.
Angry chiefs and inhabitants of the area demanded a public apology from Mr Zu and the leadership of the NDC.
The demonstrators were clad in red and thronged some principal streets in the Eastern Region and rebuked Mr. Zu’s and the NDC over the comments.
Some of the placards they were holding had the inscriptions “Enough is enough”, “Okyenhene is our King, leave him alone”, “NDC Kyebi is extremely angry” among others.
The Ashanti Regional NDC Secretary in a statement said: “I revere and have always revered the chieftaincy institution in Ghana and for that matter hold the Okyenhene in high esteem and would not deliberately undermine the chiefly powers of the Okyenhene who has shown great leadership over the years”.
Below is full apology statement from Kwame Zu
September 21, 2019
STATEMENT OF APOLOGY TO THE OKYENHENE AND THE AKYEM ABUAKWA TRADITIONAL COUNCIL
It has come to my attention that a statement I made at a demonstration organised by the Coalition for National Sovereignty which was held in Kumasi on the 19th day of September, 2019 has generated a furore.
While making a presentation at the said demonstration, I did point out to many ills of the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo led government that threaten our collective existence as a nation. In a very charged atmosphere, I did make a statement regarding the remarkable efforts made by President John Dramani Mahama to provide potable water for inhabitants of Kyebi and its surrounding areas some of whom hitherto were drinking unwholesome water.
Knowing that the Okyenhene just like most traditional rulers in Ghana have deep love for their people and at all times empathise with them, I did make a statement to the effect that until potable water was provided for the Okyenhene and his people, they drank unwholesome water. The said statement was used in good faith and figuratively to underscore that the Okyenhene did not drink different water from his subjects, again flowing from the love he has for his people. After deeply reflecting over the said statement and the interpretation given it by a section of the public, which interpretation is plausible, I wholeheartedly regret for making that statement.
I hereby wish to unreservedly render an unqualified apology to the Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council and indeed all Ghanaians for the said statement. I revere and have always revered the chieftaincy institution in Ghana and for that matter hold the Okyenhene in high esteem and would not deliberately undermine the chiefly powers of the Okyenhene who has shown great leadership over the years.
Once again, my sincere apologies to the Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin and the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council and all Ghanaians for my statement.
Thank you and may God bless us all!
