Saturday, 19 April

A/R: Tensions erupt in Akumadan over ownership of Astroturf project

General News
Emmanuel Sefah speaking to the media

Confusion surrounding the ownership of an Astroturf project in Akumadan, constructed under the immediate past New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, has sparked chaos among some supporters of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The agitated supporters on Wednesday, March 16, 2025, reportedly stormed the Akumadan chief’s palace in a white pick-up vehicle, disrupting a scheduled meeting between New Patriotic Party  Constituency leaders and the traditional authorities.

The meeting was intended to address ongoing misunderstandings over the project.

According to eyewitnesses, the youth chased constituency executives — including the Chairman, Secretary, and Organiser out of the palace premises and violently resisted efforts to resume the dialogue.

The disruption escalated into a near-violent standoff as tempers flared over what the supporters described as an attempt to "hijack" a state-funded project for political gains.

The disgruntled youth, led by one Emmanuel Sefah, expressed outrage over plans by the Member of Parliament for Offinso North,  Dr. Fred Kyei Asamoah, to officially open the Astroturf on Friday, April 18, 2025. They accused the MP, in collaboration with some traditional leaders, of attempting to present the project as his personal initiative — a move they described as deceptive and unacceptable.

Speaking to journalists at the NDC constituency office in Akumadan, Emmanuel Sefah vowed that they would resist any attempt to inaugurate the project without the appropriate representation from the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) or other official state actors.

“This is a state-funded project, not a personal donation from the MP.

The people of Akumadan deserve honesty and transparency, not political propaganda,” Sefah emphasised.

Confirming the incident in an interview with Class News, Offinso North Constituency Secretary Ali Yahaya described the development as unfortunate.

He revealed that party leadership had previously engaged the traditional authorities over the same issues, but the discussions remained inconclusive — a situation he believes contributed to the mounting tension among supporters.

 

Efforts are currently underway to de-escalate tensions and find a lasting resolution to the ownership dispute surrounding the project, he assured.

Source: Classfmonline.com