The Kumasi Traditional Council (KTC) has exonerated the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as ‘Chairman Wontumi,’ of allegations that he has disrespected the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
He was alleged to have made some disparaging remarks against the Asantehene, during the vetting exercise of parliamentary aspirants of the party at the Manhyia South Constituency.
Chairman Wontumi was placed on the KTC’s wanted list as a result of the incident and was summoned to appear before the council.
He was supposed to meet with the council earlier, but the NPP leadership said that he was unable to attend because of health issues.
However, he complied with the directive and appeared, yesterday.
He was accompanied by party figures, including Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, Chieftaincy Minister, Asamoah Boateng, Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, National Chairman of the party, Stephen Ntim, the General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Kodua, National Organiser, Henry Nana Boakye, National Treasurer, Dr Charles Dwamena, and various other NPP regional executives.
Interestingly, the KTC literally rebuked the Kokosohene, Nana Kwaku Duah, for dragging the name of Manhyia into dispute through his partisan politics.
The council said the impasse between him and Chairman Womtumi was purely a partisan issue and should not have been brought before the council for adjudication.
Consequently, the council directed him (Kokosohene) to choose between his chieftaincy role and partisan politics.
The Bantamahene, Baaffour Owusu Amankwatiah VI, gave the directive yesterday, when the council sat to deliberate on the complaint brought against the regional chairman by the Kokosohene, Nana Kwaku Duah.
Nana Kwaku Duah alleged that Chairman Wontumi showed gross disrespect to the Asantehene during the vetting process that preceded the parliamentary primaries of the NPP.
He said during the vetting of the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, there was an argument between him and Wontumi where the latter was alleged to have said he had no problem speaking his mind on issues even before the Asantehene, and that he had his own kingdom in the region.
That, according to the chief of Kokoso, was a gross disrespect to the Asantehene and asked the council to deal with him.
However, when Chairman Wontumi was called to plead his case, he denied disrespecting the golden stool and explained what he said that “NPP is his Kingdom in Ashanti Region and that at that vetting, the issues at stake were purely party issues.”
Chairman Wontumi said while on his way to attend a business meeting, he had a call from the party’s General Secretary wanting to know what really took place.
He said he called Nana Kwaku Duah on conference call and explained that the issue had been resolved.
However, he said Kokosohene was still insisting that he said that.
Chairman Wontumi said it was at that juncture that he invoked ‘Antoa’ deity on both himself and any other person who claimed he said what the chief was alleging.
He admitted to cursing the chief for misleading the council.
Most of the chiefs present at the meeting expressed concern about the involvement of chiefs in partisan politics which they said did not augur well for the chieftaincy institution and tarnishing its image.
Apart from the constitution frowning on it, they said it was in direct violation of Otumfuo’s directive to all chiefs not to indulge in partisan politics.
They believed that Kokosohene should have ensured that the issue was dealt with at the party level and not brought before the traditional council delegation.
FROME KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI
