News
Paramount Chief of Lower Town Axim, Nsein Traditional Area sets record straight
Awulae Agyefi Kwame II
The President and Paramount Chief of Lower Town Axim and Nsein Traditional Area in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region, Awulae Agyefi Kwame II has said that Lower Town Axim has been part of his traditional area since time immemorial.
He said the paramount seat of Lower Axim was at Agona, a village situated behind the Nsein Senior High School.
He said he and all his Divisional Chiefs recognised Lower Axim as a Paramount Seat but the Paramount Chief should move to Agona where his seat was located in the past.
Awulae Agyefi Kwame II was reacting to a press statement by the Paramount Chief of Lower Axim, Awulae Attibrukusu II on the issue of the Awuza Stool which was pending at the Judicial Committee of the Western Regional House of Chiefs (WRHC) of which Awulae Attibrukusu II and Nana Awuza II were parties.
He said every member of the WRHC was aware of a case filed on 29th October 2018 by the President and Paramount Chief of Lower Town Axim and Nsein Traditional Council, Awulae Agyefi Kwame 11 and his elders against Awulae Attibrukusu 111 and Nana Awuza 111, Ottupai Hill at Lower Axim.
He said “Awulae Attibrukusu 111 must stop beating war drums and be truthful to himself and also be law abiding and respond to the case before the Judicial Committee of the WRHC for an amicable solution.”
Awulae Kwame II again said Awulae Attibrukusu should know that a year after his installation as Paramount Chief, he was then known as Eddie Arthiaba and three of his kinsmen were convicted by the Circuit Court Case No 46/85 in respect of the same violence threatened today of which he was the third accused.
He said the insulting statement and falsehood contained in letters Awulae Attibrukusu wrote would not deter the good and peaceful law abiding people of Lower Town Axim and Nsein Traditional Area asserting their rights and true heritage in accordance with written facts and recorded history of their people.
He said historical facts dating as far back as 1480 had shown that their ancestors Atwea/Aduana Family led by Nana Kobina Enwi settled and founded Bolofo which was later named Atxim by the Europeans in 1500.
He said his ancestor by name Bilengbli Akpolley (Aryee) granted the land on which Fort Anthony was built by the Portuguese at Atxim adding “a number of my ancestors were buried within the forecourt of Fort St. Anthony with some Portuguese.”
He said Awulae Attibrukusu had maintained that his traditional council bought hospital equipment for the Axim Government Hospital forgetting that “those equipment were donated by the Ghana Gas Company.”
“I challenge him to produce the receipts of the items if he really bought them”, he said.
He said the Paramount Chief of Lower Town Axim and Nsein, the Divisional Chiefs, the Queens and all the people of the area were law abiding and wanted to live in peace but would not tolerate the activities of ex-convicts who were always out to cause trouble.
From Peter Gbambila-Nsein
News
NPP condems arrest of Okatakyie Afrifa Mensah
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has condemned the arrest and detention of Okatakyie Afrifa Mensah by operatives of the National Security.
In a statement signed by the General Secretary, Justin Kodua noted that “This unlawful action by the marauding operatives of the National Security is the latest installment of the ongoing series of state-sponsored attacks on the media by the NDC government, in their desperate attempt to silence the media and curtail press freedom.”
According to the him, “The Party condemns in no uncertain terms this state-sponsored lawlessness and commends the many well-meaning Ghanaians who spoke loudly against this shameful conduct by the National Security. We also commend the young people and the team of lawyers who stormed the National Security Secretariat this evening to see to the release of the abducted journalist.”
“The NPP wishes to remind President Mahama and his government that the Ghana that was bequeathed to them on January 7, 2025, was a free country. It was the bastion of democracy, underpinned not only by the existence of functioning democratic institutions but also by our unflinching commitment to upholding press freedom as enshrined in Chapter 12 of the 1992 Constitution,” they added.
Read the full statement below
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 19, 2025
*NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY CONDEMNS THE UNLAWFUL ARREST OF VETERAN JOURNALIST, OKATAKYIE AFRIFA MENSAH BY NATIONAL SECURITY OPERATIVES*
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) condemns the unlawful arrest and detention by operatives of the National Security, of Okatakyie Afrifa Mensah, a veteran journalist, who has been critical of the John Mahama administration.
This unlawful action by the marauding operatives of the National Security is the latest installment of the ongoing series of state-sponsored attacks on the media by the NDC government, in their desperate attempt to silence the media and curtail press freedom.
The Party condemns in no uncertain terms this state-sponsored lawlessness and commends the many well-meaning Ghanaians who spoke loudly against this shameful conduct by the National Security. We also commend the young people and the team of lawyers who stormed the National Security Secretariat this evening to see to the release of the abducted journalist.
The NPP wishes to remind President Mahama and his government that the Ghana that was bequeathed to them on January 7, 2025, was a free country. It was the bastion of democracy, underpinned not only by the existence of functioning democratic institutions but also by our unflinching commitment to upholding press freedom as enshrined in Chapter 12 of the 1992 Constitution.
In line with this commitment, the country also went through the painstaking process of repealing the Criminal and Seditious Libel Law in 2001, a process that was spearheaded by the immediate past President, H.E Nana Addo Akufo-Addo, who was then the Attorney General of the Republic.
It is therefore completely repugnant and unacceptable for the John Mahama administration to be using State Security to intimidate political opponents as well as media personnel in a bid to silence all critical voices This, in fact, is an egregious affront to our democratic and constitutional tenets.
We call on the Ghana Journalist Association, the Media Foundation of West Africa, Civil Society Organizations, and all stakeholders to join us in demanding an immediate cessation of this tyranny and growing culture of state-sponsored attacks on the media.
Enough is enough.
…Signed…
JUSTIN KODUA FRIMPONG
GENERAL SECRETARY
News
We have built enough buffers to pay all DDEP obligations – Finance Minister Ato Forson
Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has assured banks that the government has built sufficient financial buffers to meet all Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) obligations this year.
Speaking at a high-level meeting with over 22 Managing Directors of banks, he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fiscal responsibility and restoring confidence in the financial sector.
“We do not intend to default,” Dr. Forson declared.
“All outstanding holdouts have been paid, and we have put in place the necessary buffers to ensure that every single DDEP obligation for this year will be met.”
The Minister explained that these buffers were created through fiscal discipline, strategic investment cuts, and prudent resource allocation.
As part of this approach, the government has reset goods and services expenditure to 2023 levels and is working to achieve a primary surplus of 1.5% to sustain economic stability.
He also announced plans to submit a fiscal responsibility rule to Parliament, which will set a debt ceiling that the Ministry of Finance cannot exceed.
This measure aims to prevent excessive borrowing and reinforce financial discipline.
Beyond ensuring timely DDEP payments, Dr Forson revealed that the government is taking deliberate steps to reduce reliance on the Treasury bill market.
By improving coordination between fiscal and monetary policies, the government aims to stabilize interest rates and ease liquidity pressures on the banking sector.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
