President of the Kumasi Traditional Council (KTC), Bantamahene Baffour Owusu Amankwatia VI has said Ashanti Kingdom will not tolerate any form of disrespect from anyone particularly, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Bernard Antwi Boasiako popularly known as Wontumi.
According to him, he believes Chairman Wontumi doesn’t respect anybody but the Ashanti Kingdom can not tolerate that.
His comment comes after the NPP General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong told members of the Council that Chairman Wontumi is currently not feeling well to honour their invitation without providing Doctor’s report.
This follows accusations that Chairman Wontumi claimed to have “built his own kingdom with military and police force in the Asante Kingdom.”
Speaking at an emergency meeting held by the Kumasi Traditional Council (KTC), Baffour Owusu Amankwatia IV who chaired the meeting stated that Chairman Wontumi and the leaders of the NPP has taken the case lightly that is why they couldn’t provide doctor’s report, this, he said he is not happy.
“We will investigate the case and if we find out that you are guilty, we will not let you go scout free. I am not happy about the development of the matter and that shows that you have taken the case lightly. Firstly, you Wontumi a big case like this has occurred and if you are coming to ask for permission you didn’t bring doctor’s report, How are we going to believe it, for us the chiefs if we are sick and can not go to council meeting, you can not appear before our lord (Asantehene) to ask for permission without doctor’s report. You didn’t provide evidence because I am not sure you respect anybody in this Kingdom.The whole of the matter is that someone has accused you of something so even if you are in a wheelchair you are supposed to come for us to see but nothing like that happened.” Bantamahene stressed.
The council therefore ordered the New Patriotic Party (NPP) General secretary to produce Wontumi, private legal practitioner Maurice Ampaw and the management of Wontumi radio/TV in the next seven days before them .
“What we are saying is that Gene Secretary go and advise him, no matter what, he must appear before us on Monday and he must come with Maurice Ampaw and the entire management of Wontumi radio/TV and explain to us why Maurice Ampaw is lambasting chiefs and also the management allowed him (Maurice Ampaw) to use that platform to do that. I know that in the Ashanti Kingdom there are certain things you are not allowed to do” He reiterated.
Baffour Owusu Amankwatia VI again told the NPP General Secretary to advise their Ministers and political appointees on matters related to the Ashanti Kingdom.
“Always advise your Minister, political appointees that they should be conscious in the Ashanti Kingdom” Bantamahene admonished.
Meanwhile, the Ashanti youth group has expressed their displeasure over the comment by the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Chairman Wontumi.
Speaking at a press conference in Kumasi on Wednesday, 17 January 2024, the youth called the Monarch of the Ashanti Kingdom, Ashantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and his sub-chiefs to ban Wontumi from their palace.
“Our message is simple, we don’t have anything against NPP but we have issue with Chairman Wontumi, if you speak against the Golden Stool, you equally against Ashanteman, we are appealing to Asantehene and his sub-chiefs that no one should allow Wontumi to enter his palace because of this comment. We don’t need Chairman Wontumi in Manhyia Palace, we are not against the NPP but we don’t have anything to do with Wontumi again” Spokesperson for the irate youth, Mr Eugene Oppong stated.
Source: Elvisanokyenews.com
