President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has assured the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, of his commitment to ensuring that the rule of law works without fear or favour, and without regard to any partisan, ethnic or religious considerations. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has assured the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, of his commitment to ensuring that the rule of law works without fear or favour, and without regard to any partisan, ethnic or religious considerations.
According to President Nana Akufo-Addo, “it will not be under my watch that people will take the law into their own hands, neither will it be under my watch that the laws of our land will not be enforced. That will never happen. The law will work without fear or favour.”
The President gave the assurance when he paid a courtesy call on Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, at the Manhyia Palace, at the commencement of his 3-day tour of the Ashanti Region.
President Nana Akufo-Addo’s assurance comes in the wake of the ‘attack’ on the Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator, George Agyei, by members of the ‘Delta Force’.
“I know this matter is a source of great worry for you, Otumfuo. Let not your heart be troubled. The incident has occurred, and I assure you that measures have been put in place to forestall the reoccurrence of this issue in Asanteman, and, for that matter, in any part of the country,” he added.
The President told the gathering his visit to the Ashanti Region was to thank the Asantehene and Asanteman for the massive show of confidence reposed in him and the New Patriotic Party in the 2016 elections.
“The vote I got in Ashanti was unprecedented. I, therefore, came to show appreciation, and to tell Asanteman of the policy initiatives we are putting in place to ensure that we bring relief to the people of this country, and, thereby, return the country onto the path of progress and prosperity,” he added.
He continued, “Amongst others, I told the people that when we win, we would bring Free SHS. The Free SHS policy is on its way coming.”
Meanwhile, the President has appealed for the unalloyed support of residents in Zongo communities across the country for the success of his administration, as he seeks to improve their living and development standards.
According to him, the propaganda that made the rounds in the Zongos, in the run-up to the 2016 elections, to the effect that both the New Patriotic Party and he were “anti-Zongos” had proven to be untrue, as the actions and policies undertaken by his government had been to the contrary.
“Right from the time of Kwame Nkrumah, Zongo communities have never been factored in the preparation of our national budget. The Appropriations Act for the first Akufo-Addo budget has been passed by Parliament. Zongo Development Fund is now part of our budget going forward from 2017. This money will help develop the Zongo communities,” he said.
He continued, “All these point to the fact that there is a government that has the development and the return of Ghana onto the path of progress and prosperity at its heart. This is the government that has the development of Zongos at heart. We want to create wealth and jobs for everyone. That is the task of my government.”
The president was interacting with Zongo Chiefs and Imams in the Ashanti Region, as part of his 3-day tour of the region.
The Zongo Development Fund, as spelt out in the budget, will invest in education and training, improve infrastructure, health and sanitation, support local businesses and centres of culture and arts, and community policing and security.
“I want everyone to know that all that was said about me and the NPP were all lies. There is no iota of truth in any of them. I am grateful to God for giving me the opportunity to demonstrate to you that all that my government and my party mean well for you,” he added.
Recounting the relationship that existed between Amadu Baba, of the Muslim Association Party, Dr. J. B Danquah and Dr. K.A. Busia, which led to the formation of the United Party, President Akufo-Addo stated that “I want the friendship and bond between the NPP and Zongos to be rekindled under my era.”
He, thus, appealed for the support of Zongo communities across the country for his government, to enable him realise his vision of a “Ghana beyond aid” – a Ghana that is able to look after its people through intelligent management of the resources with which it has been endowed.
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