THE POWER THAT CAN SHUT RADIO STATIONS CAN STOP CHINESE GALAMSEY – MANASSEH AZURE
Manasseh Azure; the Investigative Journalist has made a comment on the current impasse going on between the Kumasi-based Oyerepa FM and the Kumasi Traditional Council.
The Kumasi Traditional Council is widely reported to have asked the Kumasi-based Oyerepa FM to cease to cease function as a body meets to delve into matters concerning how the said radio station gave their platform to be used to cast aspersions against the Traditional Council.
Akwasi Adai aka Odike a politician and a businessman based in the Ashanti Region was said to have used the platform of the radio station to allegedly state that Chiefs in the region were engaging in illegal small-scale mining also known as galamsey.
Odike, through the same platform, threatened to organize a mass protest if nothing was done about the scourge.
However, amidst this brouhaha, Manasseh aired his view. He believes that the call from the Traditional Council to the radio station to cease work is unjustified. He took to his Facebook handle and made a cryptic about the Council’s order and the fight against galamsey. His post was made on 26th August, 2022.
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“The power that can shut radio stations can stop the Chinese from destroying your lands, water bodies and imperiling your future,” the post read.
While media reportage widely has it that there was an order from the Chiefs for the radio station to be shut down, Sanaahene; the Chief in charge of the Menhyia Palace, in the absence of Otumfuo says otherwise. He stated that the meeting held on 25th August, 2022 with the representatives of Oyerepa FM was an advice for them to close the station not necessarily an order as widely reported.
Nana Osei Kweku; the Samahene also explained in an interview with Accra-based Happy FM on 26th August, 2022, that the group of Chiefs headed by the Bantamahene called on the owners of the Oyerepa FM to cease operations pending the resolutions of an impasse.
“Their license remains valid, after all, Ashanti Region is not Ghana, their license remains valid and they can operate elsewhere,” he explained.
Asked about using a legal route to seek redress, he explained further: “It is not a court matter for us, we have our own legal system with which we ‘prosecute’ and dispense off cases.”
“We are not interested in going to court. The only advice I will give is, even though you have faulted the Palace, you have to come through other processes, seek forgiveness and we all can move on.”
BACKGROUND
Akwasi Adai alias Odike ; the politician and business man allegedly accused the Chiefs of engineering and engaging in illegal mining. While speaking on Oyerepa FM some weeks back, the Ghanaian politician and businessman said the chiefs and Traditional rulers in the region are accomplices of illegal mining which is damaging water bodies and forest resources.
He went ahead to call on the youth to rise and as well threatened to organise a mass protest against the chiefs.
Pursuant to Odike’s speech, the Kumasi Traditional Council also performed a ritual where a ram was slaughtered and Odike was declared non grata at Manhyia.
Few days after the ritual was performed, there was an attack on the Regional Office of the party by unknown gunmen who fired shots into the office and smashed vehicles in possession of Odike and parked at the place.
After the incident, Odike believed that it was the handwork of the chiefs. He stated that those who were involved in the attack were from the Menhyia Palace. He then refused and vowed not to render an apology for his speech on the radio station.
So far, no arrest have been made though investigations on the matter are still ongoing.
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Meanwhile, Oyerepa FM; the radio station where he made his comments received a call to appear before the Council. The station was asked to cease operations and close down until the matter is delved into and settled.
The station obeyed the call and appeared before the Council, a day after the summon tat is 26th August, 2022.