Cape Coast youth reacts to Graphic story on 'rowdy youth at Fetu Afahye' launch

The Cape Coast Youth Development Association has reacted to Graphic's story on the chaos and the rowdy youth that disrupted the Fetu Afahye launch last Friday.

The confusion nearly marred the launch of this year’s Fetu Afahye when angry youth besieged the Ato Austin Gardens and disrupted proceedings for about an hour.

The group from the Ntsin community, numbering about 200, wearing red head and armbands, accused the Omanhen, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, and the Regional Minister, Mr Kwamena Duncan, of turning their backs at the youth.

It took the intervention of armed policemen, deployed from the regional headquarters, to bring the situation under control.

The police, however, remained on guard until the end of the programme.

But at a press conference on Sunday, the Cape Youth Development Association stated that the Graphic report was "fictitious"

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• Chaos in Oguaa - Rowdy youth disrupt Fetu Afahye launch
• Graphic correspondent 'arrested' by Oguaa traditional authorities

Below is a copy of the press statement read at the press conference

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE CAPE COAST YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION ON SUNDAY, 28TH APRIL, 2019.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information contact:
CAPE COAST YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
Phone: 0242562491, 0277113742, 0244283069, 0577362491.
E-mail: capecoastyouthd@yahoo.com

“ROWDY YOUTH DISRUPTS FETU AFAHYE” - A CASE OF FALSEHOOD AND BLATANT LIES BY DAILY GRAPHIC REPORTER, TIMOTHY GOBAH.

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, invited guests, social organizations, members of the society and invited pressmen. We deem it a great privilege to have you here with us to grace this august occasion as we seek to address a very pertinent issue that the CAPE COAST YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (CCYDA) deems as unfit and unacceptable.

This is in view of a recent story published by the DAILY GRAPHIC on 27th April, 2019. This story is a clear fiction with no facts and checks and also mars the great name of our life patron, OSABARIMBA KWESI ATTA II, the president of the OGUAA TRADITIONAL COUNCIL and the entire youth in general whose hard-earned reputation has been marred by this malicious, fictitious and preposterous publication in the Saturday edition of the DAILY GRAPHIC by Mr. Timothy Gobah.

During the early hours of Saturday, April 27, 2019, our attention was drawn to a publication in the DAILY GRAPHIC written by the Central Regional correspondent of the DAILY GRAPHIC, Mr. Timothy Gobah.

In his fictitious news report, he wrote about an incident that in our candid view was blown out of proportion. We unequivocally state that the story he did was blown out of proportion and borne out of pure malice perhaps to serve the whimsies and caprices of his own clandestine activities.

Indeed, it is surprising to note that although the heavily attended and well represented launch of the Oguaa Fetu Afahye was not disrupted by an angry youth as is being made for the world to believe.

It is rather shocking and unbelievable as to how Mr. Timothy Gobah, saw a totally different picture. You would all bear witness to me that the likes of the Creative Arts and Media Association (CAMA) and ATL FM both carried the event live on the respective social media pages, i.efacebook. Now, during the coverage, that was live, no one saw any angry youth entering the premises of the Ato Austin Memorial Gardens, where the launch took place on that solemn day to stop or halt proceedings as Mr. Gobah wants the entire globe to believe.

The Cape Coast Youth Development Association deems it highly indecorous for such a story to be concocted and woven about the innocent youth of Cape Coast.The story takes away the very facts of the issue away, and represents it with childish creativity, lies. This shoddy journalistic work lacks credence and even facts since no eye witness was even quoted in the story. It is highly disheartening to know that the reporter stood in a rather far place to write this story. A story that lacks credibility especially as couched by the heading.

The genesis of the whole situation emanated from a situation that occurred on Wednesday, 24th April, 2019. At about 11:00am, there was a stranger, who was exhibiting some signs of mental challenges and seemed to be lost was offered help, but unfortunately, those who offered this Samaritan like attitude by being hospitable were rather mistakenly viewed as kidnappers, arraigned before court and had been remanded. It was out of this shocking experience that the youth, out of their youthful exuberance decided that since the grounds contained all those mattered, seeking clemency by waiting for the king and his entourage at the entrance peacefully would be a palpable solution.

How can the youth who are seeking clemency as a result of a prejudiced court ruling, disrupt an august occasion of such high impetus with rantings?Admittedly, the youth seemed to be livid, thus calling for the attention of the King, who had spoken publicly that they disperse and come to the palace at 2:30pm for a proper traditional hearing. This certainly does not warrant such unruly reportage. Secondly, the stretch of road was a bit narrow for the “about 200” protestors to stand on and mar or cause havoc to the event which was truly peaceful through our its entire duration.

I wish you had all read the story. You would find out that the lead of the story is not only deceptive in nature, but unwholesome portrayal of the youth of Cape Coast as rowdy, animalistic, insensitive and most of all uncouth. No youth attempted to come and destroy the event. The event went on smoothly as planned. You can log onto the pages of CAMA and ATL FM respectively to watch the full show and see if you could see any youth coming to the grounds to destroy the event as purported by Mr. Timothy Gobah.

We strongly demand that DAILY GRAPHIC, including Mr. Timothy renders an unqualified to Osaberimba Kwesi Atta II, Nananom, the Planning Committee, state officials, invited guests and the youth of Cape Coast for peddling falsehood against them. Secondly, we are hopeful that as part of showing remorse, that particular publication on their online portal would be pulled down with immediate effect.

In due time we shall advise ourselves as we are also in talks with our legal team and the Oguaa Traditional Council, to see if CYDA as a legal entity will take up this case and seek legal action against Mr. Timothy Gobah. This is a criminal act and against the very foundation of the motto of the DAILY GRAPHIC, “TRUTH & ACCURACY EVERYDAY”. This is a time to indeed show to the whole world that their slogan or motto is a virtue they abide with.

We at CCYDA, and the general public want the truth to prevail, we all want the youth of Oguaa Traditional Area to be vindicated and not seen as a bunch of uncouth people who have no regard for law and order.

Long live Osaberima, long live Afahye, long live the youth of Cape Coast and the CAPE COAST YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION.
“Lies run sprints, but the truth runs marathons” – Michael Jackson

– The Communication team CCDYA.