Ga Mantse urges politicians to tolerate opposing views

The Ga Mantse, King Tackie Tawiah III, has urged politicians and leaders to be tolerant of the views of their opponents.
This, he said, would engender the peace and stability needed to accelerate the pace of development that all Ghanaians were yearning for.
King Tawiah gave the advise when the 2008 Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, paid a courtesy call on him at his palace in North Kaneshie in Accra yesterday.
The Ga Mantse sat in state with his elders, chiefs and queens as they received Nana Akufo Addo’s entourage which included Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo, former Minister of Finance in the Kufuor Administration, Nana Akomea, Member of Parliament (MP) for Okaikoi South, Ms Ayorkor Botwey, MP for Weija, Frema Akosua Osei Opare, MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon, Shiekh I.C. Quaye, MP for Ayawaso East.
The Ga Mantse said Ghanaians had no other country to turn to in the event of conflict, stressing the need for all to respect each other irrespective of their views, beliefs and political persuasions.
He said it was incumbent on politicians and leaders in society to make the promotion of the welfare of their people their paramount objective.
The Ga Mantse expressed worry at the behaviour of some politicians whose stock in trade was to resort to divide and rule tactics as well as insulting behaviour.
He noted that the real essence of democratic practice was gradually being abused in the country, with some people always looking for ways to attack others.
He added that others had also made it their habit to misinterpret what their opponents say.
All these, he said were always perpetrated to paint their opponents as bad people and present them negatively to society.
The Ga Mantse stated that the Ga Traditional Council was operating an open door policy, where all groups, political parties, institutions and organisations were welcome to the council.
He urged Nana Akufo Addo not to forget the Ghanaian, especially the Ga State if the NPP delegates selected him as their flag bearer and eventually Ghanaians also decided to make him the President.
Nana Akufo Addo expressed surprise at the vandalisation of the palace in May this year by some unidentified persons.
He thanked the Ga Mantse and his elders for the warm reception, and said he decided to pay him a courtesy call before embarking on his Greater Accra campaign but due to time constraints the visit had delayed.
He presented two cartons of schnapps and an undisclosed amount of money to the Ga Traditional Council.