The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Mfantseman, Eric Stanley Acquah, has strongly refuted claims that he made derogatory remarks against Gyedu and its traditional authorities.
His response follows a petition by more than 20 chiefs and residents of Gyedu to President John Dramani Mahama, demanding the removal of the MCE over allegations that he described Gyedu as a “bush” and its inhabitants as “villagers” during activities marking National Sanitation Day.
The chiefs, led by Nana Nyanful VI, Chief of Gyedu and Asaamanhene of the Mankessim Traditional Council, described the comments as disrespectful and gave the MCE a one-week ultimatum to publicly apologise or face a ban from the community.
Addressing the controversy, Eric Stanley Acquah called for calm and urged residents not to draw conclusions based on audio and video recordings circulating on social media.
He said he has never made any statement intended to disrespect, undermine, or denigrate any paramountcy or traditional authority in the Mfantseman Municipality.
According to the MCE, his remarks during the sanitation exercise focused solely on the importance of community participation in the government-led clean-up campaign.
“My remarks were that His Excellency John Dramani Mahama had declared a two-day sanitation exercise across seven regions affected by the recent floods following heavy rainfall. Unfortunately, the leadership of the traders, who were among those directly affected by the floods, failed to participate in the exercise. They were also the same group that opposed the initial proposed site for the Mfantseman Ultra Modern 24-Hour Economy Market,” he explained.
Ebusuapanyin Eric Stanley Acquah stressed that at no point did he state or imply that the absence of the Member of Parliament from the sanitation exercise influenced the traders’ leadership to stay away, as has been suggested in some of the circulating recordings and commentaries.
He described such claims as false and misleading, insisting that his comments have been taken out of context and misrepresented to create unnecessary tension within the municipality.
The MCE reaffirmed his respect for chiefs and traditional institutions, describing them as indispensable partners in promoting peace, unity, and sustainable development in Mfantseman.
“I have the utmost respect for our traditional authorities and will never make statements that seek to undermine any paramountcy. My administration remains committed to working closely with our chiefs, opinion leaders, political actors, traders, and all stakeholders to advance the development of the municipality,” he stated.
Eric Stanley Acquah also appealed to the public to disregard unverified audio and video recordings circulating on various social media platforms and to seek clarification from credible and official sources before accepting or sharing such content.
He said the two-day sanitation exercise was organised to improve environmental cleanliness and promote public health following the recent flooding in parts of the municipality and expressed regret that the initiative has become overshadowed by controversy.
The MCE further called on all residents to remain united, avoid inflammatory narratives, and focus on collective efforts to promote peace, sanitation, and the overall development of the Mfantseman Municipality.
Source: Douglas Oyiboh Amponsah
