NPP's Visit Is Not An Endorsement Of Ga Mantse - Jake

The National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey says the visit of his party�s leadership to the Ga Mantse on Monday March 15, should not be interpreted to mean the NPP�s endorsement or otherwise of King Tackie Tawiah III. The new National Executive of the opposition NPP on Monday, March 15 called on the Ga Mantse at his palace to introduce themselves to him and to promote a harmonious working relationship between the party and the people of the Ga state. Mr. Obetsebi Lamptey told Citi News on Tuesday that Monday�s visit was meant to show respect and to seek the blessings of the Ga traditional council on his endeavours. According to him, the NPP, as a political organization does not meddle in Chieftancy Affairs and therefore it would be wrong for people to misinterpret the visit to mean the party is taking sides in the current controversy surrounding the legitimacy of King Tackie Tawiah III. �I�m a politician; we don�t get involved in chieftaincy affairs. We recognise the institution of Chieftancy as it is and we deal with it as it is.� He said. The ruling NDC government says it would not recognize King Tackie Tawiah III until his position is gazetted by the National House of Chiefs. Government has thus refused to invite him for state functions. But Mr. Obetsebi Lamptey says NPP sees no reason why it should stop paying courtesy calls on the Ga Mantse because the party has been calling on him since the King�s enstolment two years ago. �The Ga Mantse was enstolled two years ago. In those two years we called upon him, not once, not twice � may be three or four times. We will be making a political statement if we now suddenly start to say that we are going to refuse to continue making courtesy calls that we�ve been doing for so many years.� Mr. Obetsebi Lamptey says he is not worried that people are misinterpreting his party�s visit as an endorsememnt of King Tackie Tawiah III. �People will read into whatever you do. Those who want to make mischief out of it will make mischief out of it, those who want to realise that you may be doing something right will understand that you are doing something right...so you try and do what you believe is right and then take the consequences. Mr. Obetsebi Lamptey stated that the NPP has no position on the legitimacy or otherwise of King Tawiah.