‘I don’t hate Krobos, apology needless’

Abuakwa South MP Samuel Atta Akyea has said he does not hate Krobos as being said of him by critics, in connection with his recent argument that a university proposed for the Eastern Region, should have been situated in his constituency in Akyem rather than a proposed location in Somanya, which is dominated by Krobos.

In a recent interview with Class News’ parliamentary correspondent, Ekow Annan – in which he defended concerns by Okyehene Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin that Akyems have been sidelined by the Mahma administration – the Akyem royal argued that the decision to site the university at Somanya underscored the paramount chief’s concerns.

“Look at the siting of the university for the Eastern Region. Okyehene has been good enough to have piloted an agricultural university and the majority carries the vote. If you measure the population strength of Somanya as against Akyem Abuakwa and the biggest paramountcy in the Eastern Region, logic alone should inform everybody that the best place to site a university for the Eastern Region should be in Abuakwa South, my constituency, and probably you partner with the Okyehene and have the university,” he argued.

A group called Organised Youth of Krobo issued a statement demanding an unqualified apology from him over his “tribalistic and divisive” comment. Critics on social media also accused him of bigotry.

Mr Atta Akyea, however, told Chief Jerry Forson in an interview on Accra100.5fm’s breakfast show ‘Ghana Yensom’ on Monday January 25 that: “I’m telling the Krobos that I don’t hate them because there are many Krobos in my constituency whom I look after and pay school fees for.”

He said his comment was to underscore his conviction that resources were being wasted by the Mahama administration as a result of the decision to situate the university in Somanya rather than partner the Okyehene’s initiative to save resources.

“So, why do I have to apologise for showing that it is an abuse of resources to site the University in Somanya? Why should I have? I don’t understand,” he said.

Asked if he will lead a crusade to have the decision to site the university in Somanya reversed should his party, NPP, win the November elections, Mr Atta Akyea said he would not do so.