“If the Agyapa deal is bad enough for a whole tribe to be bundled together as ‘Sakawa’, then the real ‘Sakawa’ happened when Mr Mahama and his kinsmen captured the nation for themselves, with his brothers controlling forestry, bauxite and petroleum resources in Ghana.”
Above was part of the response from the angry chiefs and citizens of the three Akyem States, Akyem Abuakwa, Kotoku and Bosome, to former President Mahama’s ‘Akyem Sakawa’ insults, as they embarked on a demonstration at Asamankese, in the Eastern Region, to register their displeasure.
Meanwhile, they have given the leader and flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), a 72-hour ultimatum to retract his ‘Akyem Sakawa’ insults or face their wrath.
Addressing the media after yesterday’s demonstration, Osabarima Okogyeaman Apagya Fori IV, Akyem Apapamuhene, said the utterances of the former President are unbecoming of a leader who wants another chance to become the President of the country.
“Mahama has shown clearly why Ghanaians voted him out of office, and with his tribal comments, I urge all Ghanaians to reject him once again, else he will divide the country with such leadership.
“Ghana, with so many tribes, has enjoyed its peace, therefore we can’t allow or sit idle to watch one man divide us over tribal politics,” he said.
The real ‘Sakawa’
Archibald Ntiri-Acquah, Spokesperson for the Concerned Citizens of Akyem Abuakwa, Kotoku and Bosome, reiterating the call for the 72-hour ultimatum, called on the “elders of the NDC to advise Mr Mahama to apologise unconditionally to the entire citizens of the three Akyem States, and pledge not to make such derogatory statements in the future.”
“Failure to comply will cause all Akyems to prevent Mr Mahama and the NDC from campaigning in any of the three Akyem States,” he warned.
Adding his voice to the ongoing debate on the Agyapa Royalties transaction, Mr Mahama described those involved in the transaction as “Akyem Sakawa Boys”.
But, according to Mr Ntiri-Acquah, the true definition of ‘Sakawa’ is when former President Mahama “allocates over 70 per cent of the country’s Bauxite resources, valued at $450 billion, to his younger brother, Ibrahim Mahama.”
“The true meaning of Sakawa is when President John Mahama gave the total control of our nation’s forestry and timber business to his brother who before had no prior experience in the timber business. We saw how his brother and his team pillaged the forests of Akyem in those days and our complaints led to naught,” he added.
Information available to the Daily Statesman indicates that those who were involved in the pillage of the forests included Alhaji Ibrahim Osman, of Karamanga Sawmills Limited, who is Mr Mahama’s cousin. The father of Alhaji Osman was a younger brother of Mahama’s father. Alfred Mahama, the former President’s brother, was also said to be involved with another company, Maripona, which was a financier of Mr Mahama.
Mr Ntiri-Acquah added that “the true meaning of Sakawa is when President John Mahama allowed his brother, Michael Energy Mahama, and his business partner, Suleman Iddrisu, to control the entire energy sector from upstream, through midstream to downstream.”
“Sakawa is when President John Mahama allowed his private lawyer’s law firm, which was also the law firm of his Attorney General, to control all big contracts of government and had retainers with several institutions of state.
“Sakawa is when the First Lady of the country was the one who controlled all cocoa procurements and even awarded contracts for cocoa roads,” he stated, adding: “The people of Ghana have not forgotten the Airbus scandal in which another brother of Mr Mahama was involved. The good people of this country do not suffer from amnesia.”
Unprovoked attacks
The group stated that the demonstration became necessary due to the many unprovoked attacks on the three Akyem States (Akyemansa) by members of the opposition NDC.
Recounting insults on chiefs and citizens of Akyem Abuakwa, Kotoku and Bosome, Mr Ntiri-Acquah said the recent attacks on Akyems is the “NDC’s campaign style of inciting tribal hatred”.
“The NDC should stop seeking to win power by tearing apart the beautiful and harmonious multi-ethnic fabric of our nation. Customs prevent us from repeating the abominable comments by the Ashanti Regional Secretary of the NDC, Kwame Zu, against Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, the Okyenhene, and Okyeman. The impetuous and insulting comments by Tawia Boateng, the former Eastern Regional Chairman of the NDC, and the disdainful and irresponsible statement made earlier by Mr Stan Dogbe against Akyems must also be condemned,” he stated.
He said Mr Mahama, who is seeking a comeback to the presidency, “has shown a level of frustration never known in modern Ghanaian history by stoking ethnic, religious and sectarian fires.”
“He does not believe in the unity of Ghana. He is tribalistic, a bigot. This has confirmed the long-held suspicion that the culture of abuse and insults by the young thugs of the NDC is inspired, patronized and directed by Mr Mahama,” he added.
Source: dailystatesman.com.gh/Kwasi Frimpong and Mudasiru Abdul Yakeen
About The Author
