A former Member of Parliament (MP) for Odododiodio constituency, Reginald Niibi Ayi-Bonte has said the Ga Traditional Council cannot prevent the May 16 ‘dumsor vigil’ from taking place because it is not a “jamboree.”
He asked; “This vigil that they are going to hold, is it a samba dance, is it a jamboree, is it the jama that makes noise? So what is this farce about the vigil disturbing the ban on noise making and drumming in the Ga Mashie area?”
[contextly_sidebar id=”4NnJNCsdOql9EmXw7i3k3IMmwDhZxZJI”]The Ga Traditional Council has been in the news since last week following their refusal to allow the ‘dumsor vigil’ which is being organized by some celebrities to take place.
The Council wrote to the Greater Accra Police Command to prevent the procession from coming on since it will violate the traditional ban on drumming and noise making which was imposed on Monday, May, 11.
The La Chiefs have asked the celebrities to hold the vigil on the said date because according to them, the area earmarked for the procession does not fall under the Ga Mashie area.
The Police is however scheduled to meet the Council and organizers of the vigil to find an amicable solution to the problem.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, Niibi Ayi-Bonte remarked that the celebrities who are spearheading the vigil “don’t normally get themselves involved in politics so the moment they start complaining, it means there is something wrong with our nation.”
“Even in the Ga Traditional area, you can organize a funeral when the ban on drumming is in force that is provided you don’t play any music and the funeral is held in silence,” he said.
Nii Tackie Commey using Ga Council for politics
Niibi Ayi-Bonte said it is unfortunate that the Ga Traditional Council is being portrayed as partisan following their resistance towards the vigil.
He indicated that Nii Tackie Commey, who has been speaking on behalf of the Ga Traditional Council regarding the vigil, is not the spokesperson for the Council but rather, he is “hiding behind the Ga Traditional Council to play his partisan politics.”
“…the NDC [National Democratic Congress] shouldn’t think that they can take advantage of the Ga Traditional Council. It’s most, most unfortunate and it portrays the Council as being partisan. Why are they doing this to the Ga people?” he queried.
Nii Tackie Commey since the news broke, has been speaking to the media in the capacity as spokesperson for the Council.
Ayi-Bonte however questioned when Commey became the Council’s spokesperson saying, “…ask Nii Tackie Commey whether he is an employee of the Ga Traditional Council – whether as a volunteer or as a paid worker?”
Ayi-Bontey disclosed that the Ga Traditional Council has only one spokesperson in person of one Mercy Asante who doubles as the Registrar.
According to him, although Nii Tackie Commey is a royal and he has access to the Ga Traditional Council, he has no right to usurp the powers of the Registrar.
He said he was surprised that “the Registrar and the members of the Ga Traditional Council have maintained a loud silence on this matter when their names are being thrown about…that is what I find very, very unfortunate.”
By: Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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