ODENEHO GYAPONG ABABIO DENIES ALLEGATION (PAGE 16)

THE immediate past President of the National House of Chiefs, Odeneho Gyapong Ababio II has denied media reports that he was sidelined during the recent tour by President John Evans Atta Mills to the Western Region.
He described the publication in “The Chronicle”, an Accra based newspaper as an erroneous attempt to embarrass him and create separation between him the sitting president.
Speaking at a news conference in Sekondi, Odeneho Gyapong Ababio said the publication also stated that he was sidelined by President Mills because he openly campaigned for the then ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) during the last general election.
He said he had no intention of litigating the matter, but the purpose of the news conference was to set the records straight and to deny that he was sidelined.
“I can tell you for a fact that, as a chief, I took part in the voting processes, but my vote was secret and I have not campaigned for any political party,” he stressed.
Odeneho Gyapong Ababio, who is also the Paramount Chief of Sefwi-Bekwai Traditional Area, said as a paramount chief, he received leaders of the various political parties and wished them well but he did not take any side.
He explained that when Prof. Mills arrived in the region, “I was given an invitation to attend the function at 10 a.m. but the time later changed to 3 p.m. so I returned to my traditional area to inform my sub-chiefs and elders to attend the durbar both in the southern and northern parts of the region”, he said.
“We prepared with our cultural ‘kete” dance and moved to the durbar grounds at Sefwi and I was part of the chiefs who welcomed the President; we even had a chat for about two minutes before he moved to the next chief” Odeneho Gyapong Ababio said.
He emphasised that he was shocked that the paper reported that he was sidelined.
“I can tell you that at the durbar grounds, there were chiefs from four paramount areas and traditionally, it is the Omanhene who takes the mike to welcome the President or VVIPs and that was done”, the Omanhene said.
Odeneho Gyapong Ababio stressed that during President Mills’ campaign tour of the area, he promised that he would be the president for all Ghanaians and he had fulfilled that promise through his open approach to issues.
Odeneho Gyapong Ababio used the opportunity to advise journalists to be circumspect in their reportage since they occupied very important positions and played very significant role of strengthening the country’s democratic process.