The Akuapem North District Chief Executive, Mr. George Opare Addo is besides himself with anger at what he says are deliberate lies on the part of New Patriotic Party’s flag-bearer for election 2012, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and persons around him of events recorded at the 2010 Odwira festival celebration at Akropong in the Eastern Region last week. Opare Addo claims not only did Nana Addo, who he said had arrived in town early in the day deliberately and mischievously plan to ruin the celebration by attending the durbar of chiefs to climax the celebration late, he also planned to turn it into a political affair. Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme with host Nana Kwabena Bobie Ansah, Opare Addo said Nana Addo did it because he has no respect for President Mills. The DCE, angry at what he says are deliberate lies in various accounts of what actually transpired at the durbar that led to the prevention of Nana Addo from greeting the Eastern Regional Minister, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, who represented the president at the event, explained that early on Saturday, there was intelligence suggesting that the NPP were distributing party paraphernalia to its members to adorn to the durbar, an action which he said was nipped in the bud because an information van was sent round to disabuse the minds of the people from turning the festive occasion into a political rally. Again, he said, there was intelligence that Nana Addo planned deliberately to storm the durbar grounds late, just to repeat the confusion that attended the Cape Coast Fetu Afahye festival early September where Nana Addo was prevented from greeting President Mills because he had arrived late. Opare Addo reminded Nana Addo that there is only one president in the country and he should wait to be elected president to be accorded courtesies of that office but until then, he should respect the president and stop carrying himself as president. On NPP criticisms of the government over the latter’s decision to restore the Golden Jubilee House to its original name of Flagstaff House, Mr. Opare Addo said it is hypocritical on the part of the NPP to complain of the name change when they undertook several of such decisions during their rule under J.A. Kufuor. He cited the Sankara Circle which was renamed after Arko Adjei Interchange under the pretext of naming important national monuments after national heroes, but which was ironically followed by the renaming of the 37 to Kawokudi as Obasanjo Highway. He said even the Flagstaff House was itself changed to Golden Jubilee House, while the Accra Sports Stadium was changed to Ohene Djan Stadium, then the 37 Roundabout to Busia Roundabout, and then Togo Embassy roundabout to Akufo-Addo Circle. Senior Secondary School became Senior High, while Junior Secondary School became JHS. “Did anybody complain? Or did they even tell any Ghanaian why they’ve named it Busia Circle?....Did anybody come out to tell anybody anything? What is this hypocrisy? The earlier we acknowledge the fact (that) as a government we have the right to do what we feel is right for the people of this country the better for all of us. They should wait when they come to power in 2030 they can choose to change the names back.” Several persons who claimed to be present at the festival have given varying accounts of what may have happened. They include; Daavi Ama, former NPP treasurer; Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, the Eastern Regional Minister; Herbert Krapa, press aide to Nana Akufo-Addo; Chief Supt. Ernest Owusu, said to have led the police team to the programme; Maxwell Kofi Jumah, former Mayor of Kumasi. You can listen to all of them in the attached audios. Story by Isaac Yeboah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana