Politics
Curse invoking NPP Supporters In Trouble After Being Summoned By Chiefs For Performing Rituals In The Offin River
Some supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are to face the Offinso Traditional Council after the former had performed rituals in the Offin River.
The Council had summoned the protesters and leadership of the NPP in the Ashanti Region over the incident. The aggrieved NPP supporters on Thursday took over the streets of the Offinso South Constituency after reports emerged that two aspirants had been disqualified from contesting the party’s parliamentary seats.
According to the supporters they do not agree with the sitting Member of Parliament (MP) going unopposed therfore party leadership should allow the aspirants to contest.
Videos which circulated on social media showed some of the aggrieved NPP supporters slaughtering a ram while others poured liquors in the River Offin as they invoked curses on top NPP executives.
“All that we want is peace. All that they want is for the elections to be held for peace and justice to prevail. So we are pleading with the national level to allow peace to prevail in Offinso. For the ritual, it is because we believe in our gods to give us justice in the community. It is not because we want to fight.”
“There is going to be an election in Offinso South. There won’t be anything like someone is going to impose someone we don’t want on us. If they do, we will boycott the election,” a supporter said.
However, in reaction to the incidence, the Offinso Traditional Council said the action by the NPP was ‘unwarranted’ and ‘needless’. They also rubbished claims the Paramount Chief of Offinso, Nana Wiafe Akenten sanctioned the act.
“When the Paramount Chief heard the news he sent a delegation to reach out to the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP but he ignored our invitation. And let me state on record that the Paramount Chief, Nana Wiafe Akenten knows nothing about this. Nobody sought permission from him and he wouldn’t even sanction this,” a member of the Council, Nana Kwaku Wiafe noted.
Another member added: “We are a committee which look into such matters; and so we have been tasked by the Paramount Chief to summon them[the protesters]. Invoking curses and performing such rituals will not be tolerated. They are natives of Offinso and they know the consequences of their actions. We will not let them go unpunished.”
Meanwhile the NPP’s parliamentary primaries is scheduled for June 20, 2020 after being postponed from April 25, 2020 due to the outbreak of the Covid-19.
After a steering committe meeting held on June 1, 2020, the party agreed to hold the election in electoral areas rather than at the constituency level in order to ensure social distancing.
