The Youth of Bantama in Kumasi, on behalf of majority of the people of Ashanti region, have reacted strongly to recent comments by the Presidential advisor, Yaw Osafo Maafo, to the effect that Ashantis did not play any significant role in gaining independence for Ghana.
They are demanding an apology and a retraction from the former Senior Minister for the unfortunate remarks.
Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo is said to have remarked at a closed-door meeting in Koforidua, on tape, which went viral on social media recently, that the Eastern Region is the pillar of Ghana and that it has remained useful to the country, as far back during the fight for independence.
He reportedly stressed that when chiefs such as Nana Ofori Atta were fighting for independence for Ghana, Ashantis were not part and that the Eastern region is a strategic area for Ghana’s democracy.
“When we talk about a Region in Ghana, that is Eastern region, during the colonial period in the education sector, every experiment of national policy was done in the Eastern region and implemented nationwide… It is a heterogeneous region”, the former Member of Parliament for Akyem Oda, reportedly said during the meeting with some constituency executives.
Because of his position as an Advisor to the President, the angry youth have deduced that the former Finance Minister might have ill-advised the President to sideline Ashanti region in terms of development projects, since he sees Ashanti region and the people as not contributing anything to the growth of Ghana.
Kwame Awuah Nimfuo, the spokesman of the youth group from Bantams has, therefore, asked the former Education Minister to apologise to the people of Ashanti region.
Addressing a press conference in Kumasi yesterday, Kwame Awuah Nimfuo said in spite of the contributions of the region to the growth of the national economy, the region has been sidelined and lacks infrastructural development.
He said besides the near abandonment of the Boankra Inland Port, after the President had cut the sod amid pomp and pageantry, the promised interchanges in Kumasi are yet to be implemented, for which they blamed Osafo Maafo, following his position against Ashantis.
The youth also mentioned the neglect of the proposed Military Hospital at Afari, at a time development projects are unprecedentedly springing up in the Eastern region (Osafo Maafo’s home region) at the expense of the Ashanti region, for which the Sinohydro loan was contracted.
The spokesman also mentioned lack of development at Obuasi and its environs, where gold from the Obuasi Mines over the past 280 years has propped up Ghana’s economy.
The Bantama youth also accused the Ashanti Parliamentary caucus of non-performance in respect of championing the interest of Ashanti region in the august House and threatened to lodge a formal complaint to the Asante Overlord, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
Awuah Nimfuo expressed disappointment in the MPs and cited an instance where two MPs could agitate for the release of funds for the sea defence project, when all Ashanti MPs allegedly kept silent over the abysmal performance of the government.
The youth said until the 47 Members of Parliament from the region affirm to champion the aspirations of their constituents for the benefit of the entire region, they would frustrate their political ambitions in future elections.
this tribal division is Rawlings legacy.
that Satan has left poison in Ghana with regards to tribal division otherwise why should Akans say this against each other.