The President of the National House Chiefs, Togbe Afede XIV is unhappy with some fabricated statements circulated on social media which appear to suggest that he and the National House of Chiefs have endorsed the Agyapa Mineral Royalties Agreement.
Speaking to the media, Togbe Afede XIV said he is pained that his name and that of the National House of Chiefs are being used to give legitimacy to the Agyapa Mineral Royalties Agreement which he said is shrouded in secrecy.
While denying that the National House of Chiefs headed by him has commented on any matter relating to the Agyapa deal, he said such fabrications are motivated by mischievous intents and must be condemned by all. He noted that the electioneering period is usually characterized by circulation of false information by some individuals on social and must be discouraged stating that democracy must be built on a foundation of truth.
Making reference to one of such fabricated statements in which the House of Chiefs allegedly condemned Flagbearer of NDC for sharing what the statement described as ‘ethnocentric’ post, Togbe Afede disclosed that the House of Chiefs will soon issue a disclaimer to disassociate itself from the statements.
He further disclosed that a report has been lodged with the police to bring the perpetrators of such fabrications to book.
The President of the National House of Chiefs said though they have not commented on the deal, they do not approve of it raising concerns over what he said is the secrecy of the deal and the incorporation of the Agyapa Royalties Limited, the company undertaking it in a Tax Haven. He opined that Tax Havens are purposely for avoiding taxes and lack transparency. He therefore questioned the motive behind the incorporation of the company in a tax Haven.
“I’m particularly very hurt by the attempts to use my name to grant legitimacy to a transaction that has been very widely condemned for its secrecy and for the fact that the company involved was incorporated in a tax haven.
I don’t see why national transaction should be shrouded in secrecy and if we trying to avoid or minimize tax, whom are we denying tax payment to? More important for me is the attempts to use my name and the National House of Chiefs to grant legitimacy to this transaction,” he stated.
His comments follows a statement dated September 1, 2020 and allegedly signed by him condemning the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani over a post he shared on social media.
The letter described the sharing of the post authored by Isaac Adongo, MP for Bolgatanga Central as a promotion of ethnocentric sentiments. The statement demanded that Mr. Mahama pull down the post and apologize unreservedly to the people and chiefs of the Akyem traditional area in the Eastern Region.
But Togbe Afede who denied authoring the statement said the persons behind the fabrication forged the letterhead of the National House of Chiefs.
