Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com
By William Yaw Owusu
Tuesday October 5, 2010
The office of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flag bearer has debunked news making rounds that he arrived in the middle of the Odwira Festival which was celebrated by the chiefs and people of Akwapim in the Eastern Region last Friday.
The police, upon orders from their boss, formed a ‘human shield’ around the dais to stop Nana Akufo-Addo in his tracks from reaching the government delegation, just as Nii Lantey Vanderpuye stopped him from greeting Cape Coast chiefs and President Atta Mills during the Oguaa Fetu Afahye last month causing intense media debate.
But a release issued in Accra and signed by Herbert Krapa an aide to NPP flag bearer said “It was another fifteen minutes after Nana Akufo-Addo exchanged pleasantries and sat down before the program started. He did not arrive in the middle of the program.”
“It is not true that Nana Akufo-Addo arrived late at the durbar grounds. His movement all the way to the durbar grounds until he took his seat by the right hand side of the Okuapehene was in strict adherence to instructions given him by the protocol officers of the Okuapeman Traditional Council.”
The release said Nana Akufo-Addo, per the invitation given him by the Okuapeman Traditional Council was asked to be present at 1:30pm on Friday, October 1, 2010 and added “On his way, he received correspondence from the organizers that the program had delayed and he will be notified once it was okay for him to arrive.”
“Nana Akufo-Addo respectfully agreed and waited in Akropong until he received further instructions from the protocol officers of the event and he immediately proceeded to the durbar grounds, which was a short distance from the house where he was waiting.”
The release said on his arrival, Nana Akufo-Addo was received and led by protocol officers of the durbar (aides from the palace) to greet the Okuapehene, Nana Addo Dankwa III, Chiefs and Queen mothers and all other invited dignitaries present saying “that when Nana Akufo-Addo and his delegation of three others, led by the MP for Akropong, William Ofori Boafo got to the dais, where the government officials were seated, a cordon of Police officers rushed forward with arms stretched to stop them from climbing the dais saying “No greeting, you cannot greet the Regional Minister.”
It said when the police decided not to allow them neither Nana Akufo-Addo nor any member of his delegation offered any word of protest and the NPP flagbearer turned to take a seat reserved for him at the right hand side of the Okuapehene, his traditional grandfather.
The release said Eastern Regional Minister, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, after his speech went to greet the Okuapehene, Nana Addo Dankwa III and also shook hands with Nana Akufo-Addo, which action Mr. Ofosu Ampofo repeated when he was leaving the program.
“This is not true as Nana Akufo-Addo was not late in arriving at the durbar grounds. Indeed, Nana Akufo-Addo acted in strict accordance with the protocol instructions given him by the Okuapeman Traditional Council.”
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