Ashanti Chiefs Turn Heat On Ministers

Members of the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs have vented their spleens on the Regional Minister, John Alexander Ackon and the Minister of Environment Science, Technology and Innovation Mahama Ayariga, for failing to turn up for a stakeholder interaction with the traditional authorities.

The meeting, which saw paramount chiefs and their queen mothers fully represented from across the region, was to discuss Ghana's efforts at dealing with climate change.

But both ministers were conspicuously missing without any prior notice after the meeting had delayed for three hours, leaving the exasperated chiefs in limbo.

The chiefs, who felt disrespected by the act, expressed their anger to the representatives of the ministers, who tried unsuccessfully to convince the chairperson of the meeting, the Mamponghene Nana Daasebre Osei Bonsu II.

The Mamponghene lambasted the government appointees for disrespecting the stool heads present at the meeting.

“We called our chiefs and even invited all our queen mothers to join us here. I am here representing the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, but what saddens me is that when I look around, I don't find the minister here. I don't also find our own regional minister here.

“I don't know why; and I want an explanation why the environment minister and the regional minister failed to turn up because we are here attheir instance,” Nana Daasebre Osei Bonsu fumed.

The acting executive director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), John Pwamang, who looked apparently dejected, tried to explain why Mr Mahama Ayariga failed to show up but kept digging himself in along the way.

He pointed out amidst apologies that the minister had been given a late assignment by President John Dramani Mahama.

But just when he thought he had given a tangible explanation, Nana Daasebre Osei Bonsu II inquired further what specific assignment the minister was pursuing; a question which left Mr Pwamang wanting.

The Deputy Director of the Regional Coordinating Council Francis Dwira, was equally unsettled by the drilling of the chiefs when he took his turn to apologize for the absence of the Ashanti Regional Minister.

“Nana chairman, the honourable minister would have wished to be here, but there is an emergency security situation at Obuasi. It is a galamsey issue and the regional security called him to rush to Obuasi to save some situation,” he explained.

A clearly unconvinced Nana Daasebre Osei Bonsu quizzed in what capacity the minister was in Obuasi, whether Mr Ackon was there as a regional minister or as an aspiring Member of Parliament for Obuasi West.

The programme, which continued after a ceremony of apologies, didn't have the Mamponghene participating as he stepped out of the hall, leaving his chairmanship to the Kumawuman hene.