The National Peace Council (NPC) mission, led by His Eminence Numo Blafo Akotia Omaetu III, a member of the council’s governing board, met with the Chiefs and Elders of the Somey Traditional Area.
Torgbi Adamah III, Paramount Chief of the Somey Traditional Area, presided over the meeting to discuss the controversy surrounding comments made by Archbishop Charles Agyinasare, founder and general overseer of the Perez Chapel International, and how best to address the issue in the interest of peace and unity.
During a conference at Accra’s Perez auditorium, the Archbishop labelled Nogokpo as the “demonic headquarters of the Volta Region.”
His remarks outraged the residents of Nogokpo and the greater Volta area, prompting some to criticise the revered cleric on various social media channels.
The town’s leaders and elders gave the Archbishop a two-week deadline to remove his views and apologise to the people.
The deadline has gone passed.
Following the meeting, Torgbi Adamah told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that both the Peace Council and the Somey Traditional Council had agreed to handle the problem peacefully.
“We have communicated our position to the Peace Council, and have tasked the council to communicate that position to the Archbishop. The Somey Traditional Council is giving the Archbishop a week’s ultimatum to withdraw the controversial comment and render an unqualified apology to the people of Nogokpo, the Somey Traditional Area and the entire Volta region.
Torgbi Adamah stated that the Traditional Council had instructed its attorneys to inform the Archbishop of the council’s decision and position.
He stressed that the one-week deadline would begin when the Archbishop got the letter from the traditional council’s attorneys.
He stated that if the Archbishop does not comply with the traditional council’s request for an apology, “the Somey Traditional Council would advise itself accordingly.”
The Volta region’s inhabitants have traditionally had a bad reputation, according to the Paramount Chief.
“This should not have been an issue, but the fact that the people of the region have over the years been perceived as bad people, affecting our marriages to other tribes and job opportunities, the Archbishop should not have uttered those comments in the first place.
He is a renowned and seasoned man of God who should be unifying people rather than dividing them. He must apologise to put this situation behind him – we are not pleased at all.” Torgbi Adamah explained.
Numo Blafo Akotia Omaetu III expressed gratitude to the Somey Traditional Council for the warm welcome and understanding.
He reaffirmed the Peace Council’s commitment to resolving the problem peacefully in the sake of harmony and peaceful coexistence.
The meeting was attended by members of the Volta Regional Peace Council, including its Chairman, Rev. Seth Kwesi Mawutor.
