The Founder and Leader of the United Progressive Party, Akwasi Addai, popularly known as Odike is still standing by comments he made on Kumasi-based Oyerepa FM accusing chiefs in the Ashanti Region of being complicit in the illegal mining menace.
He believes his comments are factual and has challenged the chiefs to prove him wrong if that is not the case.
“There hasn’t been any clear-cut mistake being pointed by the chiefs, and is it not true that galamsey has caused more harm than good? So it is not a false statement,” Mr. Addai said to Citi News.
On the tensions that followed his comments, he noted that “maybe the way said it must have caused disaffection.”
He incurred the anger of the Chiefs and was also accused of threatening to incite the youth to rise against the chiefs if they fail to play their roles in curbing the illegal mining menace.
His comments were, however, described as distasteful and disrespectful by members of the Kumasi Traditional Council.
His office was subsequently vandalised and there were calls for him to apologise to the chiefs.
Following the attack on him by some unknown persons shortly after making those comments, Mr. Addai said he is disappointed in how the police are handling the investigations.
“The police have been so reluctant to apprehend the perpetrators… I feel very marginalised with regard to their approach to apprehending the perpetrators,” he said.