Why Henry Quartey asked Ga Mantse for forgiveness by pleading on his knees

The Greater Accra Regional Minister Henry Quartey knelt before the Ga Mantse King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II and the Paramount Chiefs of the Ga Traditional Council on Monday, April 24, 2023, at a durbar convened in the Ga Mantse Palace in Accra to ask for forgiveness.

This comes after the minister, who also holds the office of MP for the Ayawaso Central Constituency, issued a warning that, in response to allegations that he colluded with the government to sell estates at Agbogboloshie, he should file a lawsuit and demand damages of four million cedis.

Henry Quartey was accused by Nii Odaawulu, the head of Arise Ga-Dangme, of agreeing to sell the Agbogboloshie land for the purpose of building a hostel for Kayayei—a choice that many indigenous people rejected.

When discussing the noisemaking ban in advance of the Homowo festival celebrations, Henry Quartey responded to the allegations and expressed his thoughts and displeasure.

After receiving an apology from the Ga Dangme youth association, the Greater Accra Regional Minister made the decision to beg the Ga Mantse for forgiveness for his previous comments made in their presence.

Henry Quartey took to the podium to apologise to the Ga Mantse and Council before welcoming H.E. Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, to a durbar on April 24, 2023, in Accra.

“I came here four days ago and made a polite comment about how people ignore the noise-making restriction. I spoke out loudly, but it appears I overstepped my bounds, therefore I want to come up in front of Nii and ask for his forgiveness because I erred. So please pardon me, I wouldn’t be able to pay the fines.

I would do it in public, he continued, because doing it in the room was improper.

“We have accepted the statements of the Regional Minister, and we have forgiven him,” the Sempe Mantse, Nii Adote Otintor II, announced on behalf of the Ga Traditional Council.

The leader of Arise Ga-Dangme was later summoned by the Greater Accra Regional Minister to light a peace pipe.

Many people have praised Henry Quartey for his actions.