Togbe Afede XIV, the Agbogbomefia Paramount Chief of Asogli State, has bemoaned the plundering of the nation’s resources by its duty-bearers, calling on them to consider the nation’s present economic status and avoid excessive spending to protect the public purse.
He said although the founding fathers and the present constitution directed leadership to secure progress and development, the high living cost and sinking economy had become the nation’s portion.
Addressing the grand durbar of the Asogli Yam Festival on Saturday, Togbe Afede, who is also an investment accountant, said the nation would require truthful leadership to consolidate the tenets of governance.
He called on leaders to avoid what he called, “deceit but admit the reality and show concern for the plight of the people.
“Those who fought for our independence thought we were going to rule ourselves, but the dream of self-governance has eluded us. We have not been able to deliver as our people wanted.”
The traditional ruler, also the executive chairman of World Trade Centre, Accra, lamented how political leadership continued to be institutionalised as an avenue for personal gain.
He said: “Leaders are concerned about politics and not development. They are only concerned about how to secure and retain power, and not the development of the nation. The money outlook is affecting leadership and has made governance a matter of life and death.
“Everyone is seeking to rob the nation’s resources, and those who steal the nation’s wealth cannot bring development. It is very challenging, and we must fight against it.
“Stealing the nation’s money has become part of us. People do not take national projects seriously.”
Togbe mentioned the payment of gratuitous emoluments and the present procurement regimes, all which he said milked the nation and should be reconsidered.
He said the citizenry had a greater role to play in realising the needed development and called for the commitment to unity and hard work, which he said was, “very important.”
Togbe Afede said, the theme for the festival, “Lets eschew greed and corruption,” would help deliberate on the nation’s current disposition.
An anti-corruption day celebration, youth empowerment forum, and a summit of chiefs, counts among a novelty introduced as the festival returned from a three-year break.
Mr John Dramani Mahama, former President, who graced the durbar, commended Togbe Afede for rebranding the festival and giving it an international appeal.
There was a display of Asogli culture at the festival, and the festival brought together the various divisions in a mega procession that emptied the Ho community into Jubilee Park.
Togbe Adzi Lakle Howusu, Awafiaga, (warrior division) of Asogli State, in a welcome address, recounted the struggles to establish the State, and appealed to all to study history in order to help sustain peace and unity.
Sugandh Rajaram, Indian High Commissioner, congratulated the “friendly people of Asogli,” and commended the chiefs for enforcing peace and unity.
He said agricultural and rural activities remained common grounds for both Ghana and India and assured the traditional rulers that technology exchanges would continue for mutual benefits in the areas of education, renewable energy and water supply among others.
Source: GNA
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listen to this one too you were neck deep in strategic african securities SAS ripping off Ghanaians through euro bonds, the SSNIT money have you paid it back the national investment bank withdrawals how far with that. You feel so bitter because your pet party is not in power, you and ndc will rot in opposition you were happy when ablakwa was facilitating judgement, when dzifa ativor was wasting state resource on bus branding, isofoton and the numerous judgement debt because ndc was doing it you never saw anything wrong with the unbridle ***barred word*** of state resource by mahama, ndc and your self. If you care to know, Akuffo Addo's own ministers and appointees are hauled before special prosecutor and the police are not sparing any government appointee can same be said about ndc, your bitterness will give you hypertension and still remain in opposition.
This Togbe man paaaaa, what do you think they are in politics for? To Squander of course. All the monies they have been sinking into party campaigns is like staking lotto, once the electoral commissioner announces that they have won the elections, it's assumed their numbers have dropped. Then the squandering, ***barred word***, grabbing, inflated contracts, inflated supplies, grabbing of state lands, buying fairly news cars as auction, collecting 10% from contractors, it's like that too is now 15 to 20% . If you think any so called politicians go to sleep thinking about the Ghanaian people, masa you lie. They don't have time for that. They are thinking of how much booty they can collect.
Tell us how SAS and Asogli got all the contracts under NDC. Man you are not clean. Your kingdom is bogus. You have truly demonstrated an inward looking tendency.
Togbe with all due respect, you are part of the system milking mother Ghana. You cannot tell Ghanaians that you do have fleet of cars yet the loan for car was taken by you as a member of the council of state. Simple because the government pays over seventy percent of the interest. Also you have been taken Ex-gratia as the chairman of Investment Bank for many years and now a board member of Bank of Ghana enjoying all the benefits. Your position is sacrosanct do not do anything that will tarnish your image. I have learnt the NDC has promised you the Finance position in the unlikely event of winning power.
Togbe you are not clean o. We know a lot but out of respect for the Asogli State, we will not spill the beans
Truth is always hard to say .Now in Ghana every Government sector is indulged in corruption . If do not want delay in your process or your document loss you have to pay .In business sector or market everybody is cheating . In Gov. projects the most top leaders take contract in their own companies then after give the job to another contractor .In this way quality work is not done .In all foreigners treated well and our people have given them opportunity to take the dollars away .It is something to see a few enjoying and the masses suffer in poverty .It is a surprising the same people will be defending these leaders because of 'one time money' ,tribal or partisan .We hope the right laws and policies will be introduce than disturbances . It seem like the politics now is like game or a relay. NDC left in the same track and the current NPP the same track .We hope some will stop this .
It is sad what this man is fast becoming. He did not see fit to criticise the numerous c0rrupt practices under the NDC which Tobge Afede benefitted from. Where was Togbe Afede when Isofoton , quality grain, bus branding and the air bus scandal issues arose during the NDC era? what a sad example of a paramount chief.
You are a corrupt chief but you always want your voice to be heard just like Mahama why?