The Kokosohene, Nana Kwaku Duah, has come under fire from the Kumasi Traditional Council (KTC), which claims he is using the Manhyia Palace’s name to further his political agenda.
The Kumasi Traditional Council was not the appropriate forum to resolve the ongoing dispute between Nana Kwaku Duah and Bernard Antwi Boasiako, the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Ashanti regional chairman. The council emphasized that the dispute was solely political.
The council told Nana Kwaku Duah to decide between his political career and his chieftaincy in response to these accusations.
The directive was given on Monday, January 29, 2024, at a council meeting that was called to discuss Nana Kwaku Duah’s complaint against Chairman Wontumi.
Chairman Wontumi was accused by the Kokosohene of disrespecting Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, during the screening process that preceded the NPP parliamentary primaries.
Nana Kwaku Duah claims that during the vetting process for Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, there was a disagreement. Chairman Wontumi allegedly asserted that he had no trouble expressing his opinions in front of the Asantehene, claiming to have his kingdom in the area.
In defense of himself, Chairman Wontumi stated that the matters at hand were strictly party-related and refuted claims that he had disrespected the Asantehene.
He asserted that he and Nana Kwaku Duah had worked out their differences over a conference call that the party’s general secretary had started.
Several chiefs voiced concerns during the Monday, January 29, meeting regarding their participation in partisan politics. They felt this damaged the reputation of the chieftaincy institution and went against Otumfuo’s directive, which forbids chiefs from taking part in partisan politics.
As they got ready for the Asantehene’s 25th anniversary celebration, the chiefs also issued a call for peace. Regarding the fate of Maurice Ampaw, a private attorney who was also charged with making derogatory remarks about the Kumasi chiefs, the council remained silent.
High-profile NPP figures, such as the national chairman, general secretary, Ashanti Regional Minister, national organizer, Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, and other regional executives, accompanied Chairman Wontumi in a delegation to the Manhyia Palace.
The fact that district chief executives from the area were present demonstrated how important the matter was to the party and the area.
