Chief and Catherine Afeku give conflicting reports about Kundum festival cash
The issue of former Minister Catherine Afeku and the money for Kundum festival saga is still brewing.
This time round Awulae Attibrukusu III, Paramount Chief of Lower Axim traditional area has revealed that he did not receive any Ghc200,000 to that effect for the Kundum festival as being portrayed by the former Tourism Arts and Culture Minister Madam Catherine Afeku.
According to the Paramount Chief further indicated that he did not have any knowledge that they were given such amount as stated in the auditor generals reports for the 2018 Kundum festival.
However, the former legislator and member of parliament told the media that, the said chief Awulae Attibrukusu III was aware of that cash that was spent by musicians during the festival.
The chief has however urged the public not to involve him in such a scandal. This was revealed in Awulae Attibruku III statement.
Below is the full official statement:
LOWER AXIM TRADITIONAL COUNCIL
AWULAE ATTIBRUKUSU III HAS NO KNOWLEDGE OF ANY EXPENDITURE OF 200K ON MUSIC ARTISTES DURING THE 2018 AXIM KUNDUM FESTIVAL
1. The attention of the office of the Paramount Chief of the Lower Axim Traditional Area, Awulae Attibrukusu III, has been drawn to a radio interview granted by the former Minister Tourism and Creative Arts and Honourable Member of Parliament for Evalue Gwira Constituency, Mrs. Catherine Afeku on Friday, 20th August 2021 on the Accra based citi fm’s Eye Witness News, in which interview she (Mrs. Catherine Afeku) sought to make him (Awulae Attibrukusu III) a witness to the GHs 200,000 expenses purportedly made on Music Artistes for the 2018 Kundum Festival from 1 to 9 September as cited in the Auditor General’s report for the period ended 31 December 2020.
2. The office of His Royal Highness, Awulae Attibrukusu III and for that matter the traditional council which he chairs as the President would like to categorically state that he had no knowledge of the said amount or how it was expended before, during or after the Kundum Festival celebrations of 2018. This office and the council, which he presides over, consequently takes a strong exception to any attempt by any person(s) to associate his person, name or office with the expenditure in question especially as it has caused an upswell of public outcry in both traditional and social media thus has the potential of sullying the sanctity of the stool he occupies and the reputation he carries as a person.
3. During the Interview, the former Honourable Member of Parliament for Evalue Ajomoro Gwira Constituency posited that I bear witness to the fact that the money in question (GHs 200,000) was used to pay music artistes who performed during the Kundum carnival. Whereas this office does not deny that a number of music artistes came to perform during the Kundum carnival at the behest of the former minister and Member of Parliament, for the sake of emphasis and the abundance of clarity, this office states without equivocation that His Royal Highness has no knowledge of how much they were paid, their terms of engagement or where the money came from to pay them.
4. The office of His Royal Highness and The Lower Axim Traditional Council will therefore urge all to desist from unwarranted commentaries that will seek to impute misfeasance and lack of integrity on the part of the Traditional Council.
5. The office of His Royal Highness and The Lower Axim Traditional Council wishes to thank all well-meaning subjects of the stool and well-wishers who by various means showed concern for what appears to be a material misstatement of facts by the former Honourable Member of Parliament in her submission during an interview. This press statement, for all intents and purposes, should bring finality on this matter in terms of the position of the Traditional Council and the stool of the Lower Axim traditional Paramountcy.
6. The public, therefore, has the fullest assurances of the Council that it will continue to be the embodiment of traditional moral values and virtues and will always put the development of its people first.
May our Ancestors bear witness to this statement.
By: Stella Annan | myactiveonline.com Twitter @activetvgh
