Otumfuo Lashes Mills' Boys

THE ASANTEHENE, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has sternly cautioned government officials, especially ministers of state in the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, to be circumspect with their lifestyles to avert finding themselves in trouble after they had exhausted their stay in power.

 He said, “The current ministers in the NDC government should be careful with the way they live their lives because one day, they would render accounts of their stewardship as their predecessors are doing now.”

 Otumfuo gave the caution when President John Evans Atta Mills visited the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi yesterday, as part of his two-day political victory thank-you tour of the chiefs and people of the region.

 Without mincing words, the Asantehene emphatically told President Mills to be courageous as he leads the country as the first gentleman, “Be bold, be bold, be bold,” Otumfuo emphasised.

The Asante king also admonished the President to be very careful with those who have surrounded him as his advisers since they could mislead him due to their selfish hankerings.

 He added, “Your predecessors, Messrs Rawlings and Kufuor can testify to the fact that during their stay, some of their advisers misled them into taking some actions which they regretted after leaving office.”

 President Mills stormed the palace in the company of NDC regional officers, led by Daniel Ohene Agyekum and some government officials including Chief of Staff, Martey Newman, Energy Minister, Dr. Joe Oteng-Adjei, and National Security Adviser, Brig. Joseph Nunoo-Mensah among others.

 Asanteman, Otumfuo said, was firmly behind the government to transform Ghana so as to better the lives of the populace, entreating President Mills not to have the impression that Ashantis hate his government and for that matter the NDC.

Providing jobs, building schools, hospitals, roads among other developmental projects, he told President Mills, was the reason that the electorate voted him into office so he should direct his attention towards providing them in earnest.

 Otumfuo reminded President Mills that the electorate would either retain his administration in power or give them the boot from office, based on how they perform in their first term so they should work hard.

 The Asanetehene took a swipe at the two leading political parties in the country, the NDC and NPP, over unguided remarks that their members often made in the media, urging them to put a stop to it.

 President Mills, in his address, expressed gross concern about unsavory remarks often passed about those in authority, lamenting the trend was not good for the country.

 “You have your freedom to speak your mind but please make sure you do not insult those in authority,” President Mills said, telling Ghanaians about the need for them to unite to transform the country now that the political season was over.

He showered praises on his predecessors for putting the country on the right path to prosperity, promising to continue from where they left to take Ghana to the Promised Land.

 President Mills, who has been in office for the last ten months, told Ghanaians to exercise patience since he would soon deliver all his campaign promises, especially with regard to providing jobs for the populace.

 “There are reports that Ghanaians have not seen anything since I assumed office; I am promising you today that you will see so many things very soon,” he stated.

From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi