‘Thank you for not coming by air’ – Sankore Chief to Akufo-Addo

The Chief of Sankore, in the Ahafo Region, Nana Ogyedom Appiah Kubi Pabo Katakye IV, has applauded the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for visiting Sankore “not by air, but by road.”

According to him, “it is rare for a sitting President to defy the terrible conditions of our roads to be here with us. The President could have decided to end his tour in Goaso, but for his love and fervent regard for the people of Sankore, he decided to begin his tour of Ahafo here.”

Nana Ogyedom Appiah Kubi Pabo Katakye IV made this known at a durbar held in honour of President Akufo-Addo, on Friday, 12th April, in Sankore, at the commencement of the President’s 2-day tour of the newly-created Ahafo Region.

“You have done a lot in only two years. We have heard and have seen. Even if we are blind, we are not deaf. Continue on this path”, he told the President.

He continued: “The Chiefs and people of Sankore are solidly behind you on whatever you will do to ensure progress and development for Ghana. Pay no heed to petty gossips. It takes courage to run a government, and you have it. Sankore is behind you.”

Touching on the creation of the Ahafo Region, he expressed the gratitude of the people, saying: “We said we wanted our own region, we had knocked on all doors, sent petitions to wherever it is required, way before I was born. But President came, checked the books and agreed with us that, indeed, we needed our own region. Only Akufo-Addo will do this for us. We are grateful”.

With Sankore having produced seven of the nation’s best cocoa farmers over the years, the Sankore Chief deplored the terrible nature of the road network in the area, stressing that if the roads, especially those for the transportation of cocoa, are fixed, “I can guarantee that no matter the number of years you wish to be President, we will help you to achieve that.”

President, Akufo-Addo, on his part, said the cycle of politically-related acts of violence and vigilantism that occurs in Sankore, in the Asunafo South Constituency of the Ahafo Region, is soon coming to an end.

According to him, the Vigilantism and Related Offences Bill, which is currently before Parliament, when passed, should deal effectively with the worrying phenomenon of vigilantism not only in Sankore, but in all parts of the country.

He said the Bill will ensure that “not only the people who are inciting the violence will be punished, but also the powerful people behind them will face the full extent of the law.”

The President stressed that “Once Parliament passes this bill, everyone involved in vigilantism will face the law – whether you are a Minister, Regional Minister, MP or not, once you are implicated, you will be prosecuted.”

He assured residents that, as opposed to what happened in the run-up to the 2016 elections, where Sankore became a hotbed for clashes and attacks on residents, “in the 2020 elections, I give you my personal promise, it will not happen here in Sankore.”

The President concluded: “We are not going to allow Ghanaian politics, Ghanaian democracy, to be compromised by these acts of violence and thuggery. It will not happen again. Since October (2018), we have not heard any news of political violence in Sankore. We will continue to monitor the situation. I also call on you to be alert, and help me to ensure that peace continues to reign here in Ghana, especially here in Sankore.”