The Mankessim Traders Associations have distanced themselves from the alleged ritual killing of a 25-year-old aspiring trainee nurse by Nana Clark Onyaa, the Chairman of the Association.
“The Association is a noble group determined to better the lot of members and with no interest in either supporting or killing people for rituals for any gain. We, therefore, wish to distance the Association from the alleged crime of our chairman which is contrary to our aims and the laws of the land. We abhor the alleged act and wish to unanimously state that, we had no fore knowledge of his nefarious act as being speculated,” she noted.
Madam Agnes Moore, the Vice-Chairperson of the Association told the Ghana News Agency the incessant calls for the dissolution of the Association due to the alleged murder case involving one of its members was not necessary.
According to her, the group was formed in 1989 by some eminent personalities in the area to seek the welfare of members, hence, “the calls are baseless, unfounded” and marked of a preconceived ill intent to destroy the Association by some faceless people.”
“We want to state categorically that, we are not ritualists or cultic group. The Association exist as in all markets across the country; therefore, the Association has rendered support to hundreds of members,” she noted.
Madam Moore explained that Individual members were solely liable for their actions and consequences thereof and pleaded with the public to treat the case as such but not to lump all members together as some common criminals.
She urged Ghanaians to stop glorifying wealth from dubious sources to significantly boost the fight against corruption and money rituals.
“The insatiable quest to be rich regardless of the consequences is one of the biggest bottlenecks in the country’s path to development and the citizenry must never tolerate it for any reason but rather condemn it in no uncertain terms.”
She said the masses were suffering beyond description because the government had failed to develop the necessary conditions for the people to participate equally in the development process but was not a guarantee to kill for money.
Later some traders at the Mankesim market told the GNA they were shocked to hear the news as the suspect had endeared many to his fold due to his wise counsel.
Mr Daniel Forson, a trader who sells electronics recounted the wonderful advice the Tufohen had been giving him and his friends whenever he came to the market for check-ups.
Madam Confort Adaboh, a used cloth dealer said she would not have believed the news if she had not seen pictures and videos, claiming the suspect appeared innocent and noble.
“We wouldn’t have believed this if not because of the pictures and videos we are seeing,” she noted.
