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| Tomb of Comrade Asampanbilla at Gorogo in the Bongo District |
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| Cadres chanting and singing in honour of Comrade Asampanbilla |
Comrades of the United Cadres’ Front, UDF of
the NDC have been challenged to uphold the values and principles of probity and
accountability as a means to fighting corruption at all levels of development. The
National Chairman of the UDF, Comrade Kofi Aikins said corruption was gradually
eating deep into the moral fabric of the Ghanaian society, and it was high time
comrades of the revolution act as agent of change to eliminate the canker. Comrade
Aikins made the call at a wreath laying ceremony held at Bongo in honour of
Comrade Asampanbilla Agongo, a then government militia who died in a struggle
to fight corruption. The celebration of Comrade Agongo coincides with cadres’
day celebration, a period set aside in memory of gallant cadres that stood
against all odds to defend the ills country. Activities in line with the day
include cadres’ awards and memorial lectures to be held in Bolgatanga under the
theme: ‘The hallmark of Deepening Democracy –the cadre example’. Comrade Aikins described the late Comrade
Agongo as a brave and selfless cadre who is highly respected for his show of
integrity and impartial concern for the public good. Narrating the ideal, the
Deputy National Secretary of the UCF, Camillus Sakzeesi said late Comrade
Agongo met his untimely death thirty years ago while
operating at a check point in Gorogo, a predominantly farming community in
Bongo, where he comes from. In the course
of his official duty as a newly recruited militia in the then PNDC era, Comrade
Agongo was shot on a close range in a fierce resistance against smugglers that
were being escorted by some border guards to Burkina Faso. The smugglers were in
possession of bags of maize loaded on ten articulated trucks. Comrade Agongo in
an attempt to stop the smugglers resulted in a scuffle. The then border guards armed
with rifles instructed comrade Agongo and his men to run for safety. Sensing
danger all those on duty succumb to the order but Comrade Agongo otherwise remained.
In the process, one of the border guards shot and killed him instantly, after
which they sped off leaving no traces. It
was at this backdrop that the cadres are dedicating his tomb to the people of
Bongo and the region in recognition of his courage and sense of
patriotism. Comrade Sakzeesi echoed the
need fellow cadres to unite and promote the tenets of probity and accountability
as portrayed by the former president. The
out-going Upper East Regional Minister, Dr Ephraim Avea Nsoh who is also a
cadre charged the people of the region to always recognize their heroes and
emulate their character traits. He however called for attitudinal change and
appealed to the cadres to always stand by the truth. Meanwhile, A minute silence
characterized by the unveiling of tomb and wreath laying took place in
remembrance of the late Comrade Agongo. The event was attended by senior cadres
from outside the region including some revered chiefs and family members of the
deceased comrade.
GBC
END
IA
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