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23.07.2015 Regional News

Group Tackles NDC And Its Functionaries

By Gabriel Amoah, Kumasi
Group Tackles NDC And Its Functionaries
23.07.2015 LISTEN

A group calling itself Asanteman Development Forum has bared its teeth against the Mahama-led ruling National Democratic Congress and its functionaries, over what they termed as ‘deliberate and well calculated plot’ to bastardise and marginalize the people of Asanteman and to cow them to their whims an caprices.

The ASDEF has again condemned the ruling government for the open show of bias against Asanteman since assuming office in 2009; a move according to them is a recipe to further polarize the country on tribal lines. In a statement signed by Michael Ntori-Nkansah and Richard Akwasi Asante, Chairman and Organiser/PRO respectively of ASDEF, the group find it difficult to understand the open hatred that the NDC harbours for the region and its habitats, cautioning that they will resist any attempt by the government geared towards running down the hard-won reputation of Asanteman.

“The agenda by this government to make us aliens in our own land will forever be resisted, we are aware of their grand scheme to push an agenda aimed at suppressing people in this region and Asanteman shall remain resolute against any activity of the NDC to brand Asanteman as nonentity.” Cataloguing some of the grand schemes of the NDC against the Ashanti Kingdom, the statement said since the days of late President Mills, the ruling party have been churning out lies, propaganda and insults, all with the intent to pitch other tribes against Asanteman.

The statement recounted: “This sustained move to marginalize and make people of Asanteman aliens in their own land could be traced as far back as 2006, when former president John Mills of blessed memory, then seeking to lead the nation said in a leaked American Diplomatic Cable when in a meeting with then American Ambassador to Ghana on march 7 th , 2006 and we quote: “politics is very polarized and ethnically divided and that the great Ashanti project is terrifying.”

However, what that project was and how terrifying it was to the former president, ASDEF noted, was never explained to the people of Asanteman and to a large extent to Ghanaians. ASDEF continued: “Again in October 2010, Kobby Acheampong, then deputy minister of Tourism under this same government described a son of Asanteman, Lawyer Owusu Afriyie (Sir John) as “Kokoase Kuraseni” (cocoa-farming unpolished villager) because the latter has stayed in Kumasi for far too long…this infantile statement was sarcastically, an insult to the people living in the region, including the occupant of the Golden Stool, the Asantehene Otumfou Osei Tutu II because this is where we have stayed and will continue to stay.” To the group, just as they thought such irresponsible attacks were dying out, ‘another social misfit from the NDC, Solomon Nkansah, a communicator in that party confirmed the open hatred that this government has for the people of Asanteman with his infamous loose talk against the people of the region.’

“So Solomon Nkansah wants to tell the people of this Kingdom that with the exception of the Asantehene, all the other prominent Paramount chiefs in the Kingdom (including the King-makers who enstooled the Otumfou), the Regional Chief Imam and his local Imams, KMA mayor, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings-the wife of NDC founder-are all not fit to be accorded the needed respect and therefore deserved to be insulted?” they asked.

According to the group, Solomon Nkansah’s description of Ashanti region as gaining notoriety in politics as well as the sarcastic insults on the intelligence of the good people of the region, forms part of the start of another avalanche of continues attacks by the NDC on Asanteman, especially with the 2016 general elections just closed by.

To them, these remarks from NDC functionaries are undoubtedly designed to provoke and pitch other tribes against Asanteman, further adding that the silence of the ruling NDC further suggest that they have endorsed it.

The statement reminded Solomon Nkansah and his likes that the Kingdom of Ashanti and its people have always weathered any storm since the days of the British and through other political schemes geared towards suppressing and clipping the wings of the Kingdom.

“…he should know also that, nothing can be done by anyone that will smash the vibrancy, solid and ever united Ashanti Kingdom. We are not a bit sad about all these attacks coming from the NDC apologists; rather we are very ashamed for having Ghanaians with such clueless, lawless, hypocrites and misfits managing the affairs of this country.”

According to them, Asanteman will forever play her role as a central partner to the total development of the country, and will remain pivotal and position the kingdom as a gateway and a hub of hospitality; booming business destination and great business initiators.

They advised that with the Better Ghana Agenda now a paralyzed agenda, Solomon Nkansah and his ruling NDC should direct their energies in engaging in deep thinking exercise that could bring forth some novel solutions to the many teething problems of the country.

They group issued a 36 hours ultimatum for Solomon Nkansah to apologize to the good people of Asanteman, ‘or we will advise ourselves accordingly.

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