Allegation Of Chiefs Stealing Flood Relief Items:Aggrieved Mepe Citizens To Storm Graphic As Media House Refuses To Retract Or Apologize Over “Fake”Report
They have told this news outlet that the move has become necessary because they feel they should carry their concerns directly to the management of GCGL.
Freeman Koryekpor 
CHIEFS and people of Mepe Traditional Area in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region, Soireenews.com can report, are planning to storm the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) in Accra to demand from the state owned media house to retract and render unqualified apology to the Chiefs and people of Mepe over fake report.
They have told this news outlet that the move has become necessary because they feel they should carry their concerns directly to the management of GCGL.
According to them, the Daily Graphic has woefully refused to obey the current call through a rejoinder by Mepe Development Association (MDA) to the media house to retract the said story and render an unqualified apology to the Chiefs and people of Mepe for publishing fake report against the chiefs and people of Mepe.
They argued that they have realized that the Daily Graphic published their rejoinder but rejected their request to do the needful to let the general public to know that what it has published is certainly untrue.
This follows a Daily Graphic article accusing some chiefs in Mepe of hijacking, diverting flood relief items to their personal homes and misappropriating them.
However Daily Graphic article has angered the chiefs and people who have through the MDA threatened legal action against media outlets spreading false information about relief efforts in Mepe.
Addressing the matter in a press release dated Thursday, November 16, the Chairman of MDA, Mr Fabian Mawulenu Kojo said the association "reserves the right to resort to legal actions for defamation against any media house(s) or person(s) found spreading untruths about Mepe and its traditional authority."
The group dismissed the Graphic's claims, insisting "the allegation was not grounded in evidence."
According to the MDA, a special committee comprising representatives of Mepe's five clans has solely managed the distribution of over 5,200 relief packages received to date.
Mr. Kojo stated that no complaints about chiefs emerged from an open forum where community stakeholders and traditional leaders were recently in attendance.
The MDA is demanding a retraction of the "fake report" as well as an apology from the Daily Graphic to restore trust in Mepe's disaster response and protect the reputations of local leaders.
A Regent of the Anipati Stool at Mepe, Mr Rudolph Kwadzo Gli, made the allegation on Friday November 10, 2023 when on behalf of the people of Mepe, he received food stuff and various relief items worth GH¢20,000 presented by the Avazorli Union of which Mepe is a member.
The presentation was to flood victims in the town.
Rudolph Kwadzo Gli did not give further details on those perpetrating the said acts, Graphic Online’s Alberto Mario Noretti who was in Mepe and witnessed the handing over of the donated items reported.
Rudolph Kwadzo Gli, therefore, appealed to all donor groups to hand over the relief items to the palace at Mepe to ensure an equitable sharing of the items among the displaced persons.
Some chiefs accused of hijacking, diverting flood relief items to their personal homes and misappropriating them - Regent alleges
Rejoinder
However, in a rejoinder to the story published by Graphic Online on Sunday [November 12, 2023, the Mepe Development Association (MDA) called on "all well-meaning persons to dismiss the story and the allegation thereof because it is not grounded in evidence."
The rejoinder signed by Fabian Mawulenu Kojo, Chairman of the Mepe Development Association said the association "working with the Traditional Council, is solely in charge of the receipt, storage and distribution of relief items to displaced persons in the traditional area."
It said the functioning Central Committee and sub-committees with representatives from each of the Five Clans/Divisions of Mepe Traditional Area, pensioners, women, Persons With Disability (PWD), churches, among other stakeholders, in charge of the distribution of all relief items.
It said the MDA, through the committee, has since distributed relief items to 5,200 households in Mepe, the seven displaced camps, including St. Kizito and other affected villages in the traditional area.
Attached below is a full copy of the rejoinder from the Mepe Development Association
The Mepe Development Association (MDA) has noted with displeasure a story carried by the Volta Regional correspondent of the Daily Graphic, Alberto Mario Noretti, that some chiefs from the Mepe Traditional Area are stealing and hoarding relief items.
The allegation was attributed to Rudolph Kwadzo Gli, whom the writer described as the acting Paramount Chief of Mepe, a designation that was later changed to a spokesman of the palace and finally, the regent of the Anipati stool.
We call on all well-meaning persons to dismiss the story and the allegation thereof because it is not grounded in evidence.
The MDA, working with the Traditional Council, is solely in charge of the receipt, storage and distribution of relief items to displaced persons in the traditional area.
We have a functioning Central Committee and sub-committees with representatives from each of the Five Clans/Divisions of Mepe Traditional Area, pensioners, women, Persons With Disability (PWD), churches, among other stakeholders, in charge of the distribution of all relief items.
The MDA, through the committee, has since distributed relief items to 5,200 households in Mepe, the seven displaced camps, including St. Kizito and other affected villages in the traditional area.
As part of our post-spillage community engagement this past Saturday at an open forum with the indigenes and traditional leaders of the town, no such an allegation had come to our notice. The open forum brought together key stakeholders to have open and progressive discussions on the way forward for the traditional area.
It must be placed on record that since the VRA-induced flood disaster, it is the Manklalo of Mepe Traditional Area, Togbe Kwasi Nego VI, who received the President, Ministers of State, other dignitaries, and speaks on behalf of the Chiefs and People of the Mepe Traditional Area.
He also performs such roles at state functions and national assignments, including the annual celebration of the Mepe Afenorto festival.
It is also worthy to note that because Mepe is the epicenter of the disaster, many organizations and individuals use the town as the central location for their donations. Most of these donations go back to the North Tongu District Assembly or the MP's office for onward distribution to all affected communities. Mepe is not overwhelmed with donations. We still need your support.
We advise the media to desist from amplifying baseless allegations that have the potential of eroding the confidence of well-wishers and donors in supporting the cause of displaced persons and communities affected by the Akosombo Dam spillage.
The MDA, together with the Traditional Council, reserves the right to resort to legal actions for defamation against any media house (s) or person (s) found spreading untruths about Mepe and its traditional authority.
We call on the Daily Graphic to retract the said story and render an unqualified apology to the Chiefs and people of Mepe for failing to meet the basic tenets of journalism in writing a balanced story.
Signed
Fabian Mawulenu Kojo
Chairman, Mepe Development Association
