By: Ewoenam Kpodo | Voltaonlinegh.com |
Journalists have boycotted a scheduled meeting between chiefs of Anlo and Asogli at the Asogli Palace in Ho in the Volta Region over verbal attacks on them by some aggrieved youth.
The meeting was intended to show support for the Agbogbomefia of Asogli and President of National House of Chiefs, Togbe Afede XIV who has been commenting on issues regarding the division of the Volta Region into two.
Togbe Afede had made strong observations on processes leading to the creation of new regions from existing ones including the Volta Region without due process describing the work of the Commission of Enquiry set up to investigate the substantial demand for the regions as “shoddy”.
This provoked responses. First from the sector minister, Hon Dan Botwe expressing shock over the comments of Togbe, the most consulted Ghanaian on the issue of creation of new regions. Then from Madam Elizabeth Ohene, a Journalist and former Minister who in a write up tried to suggest that Togbe Afede was not in a position to speak for the Ewes.
But even before the chiefs could address the large crowd who had gathered at the forecourt, verbal attacks from the youth drawn from different parts of the region including some elements of the group calling for the independence of Western Togoland.
It began when a young man (name unidentified) in full red attire after taking possession of the microphone, turned his anger on journalists from the region blaming them for all the problems facing the region. Right from roads, development projects, the division of the region among others. He further accused them for misrepresenting facts and not projecting the interest of the citizens.
Unable to contain the allegations, the journalists, drew the speaker’s attention to register their displeasure at his comments. Unfortunately, he got charged up to heap up more allegations on them.
This made Joy Fm’s Regional Correspondent, Hubert Mawuli Yevu-Agbi to rally his colleagues to leave the venue.
Surprisingly, the crowd teamed up with the speaker and treated the departing media practitioners with scorn.
“Oh leave them, let them go. They should go. We’ll publicise this programme ourselves. We don’t need them here. Greedy people,” the crowd hooted.
While some members of the crowd marched the journalists out of the palace before returning, few others impressed upon them to let go and cover the programme to which the journalists objected.
Information Voltaonlinegh.com picked later revealed that the chiefs after their closed door meeting, descended heavily on the secessionist element who made the disparaging comments against the pressmen which forced him to crawl into his shell for the entire duration of the programme.
Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com