President John Mahama in an interaction with Otumfuo Osei Tutu II
Posted
on: www.dailyguideghana.com
By
William Yaw Owusu
Wednesday,
January 21, 2015
A group calling itself Ashanti Youth
for Development has said the activists of the ruling National Democratic
Congress (NDC) should be blamed for the leakage of a video recording in which
President John Dramani Mahama and Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II were captured
on a dancing floor at a private ceremony in Kumasi recently.
According to the group with Nana
Kwame Owusu as their spokesperson, the gathering was made up of the king with
the President and his top government officials and the video could only have
been circulated by these top government and NDC officials who were lucky to
attend the function.
The president’s ADC was seen also
recording the event in the video current circulating on social with President
Mahama saying that he had no regret over the ‘Yentie Obiaa’ party at the
Manhyia palace.
The said video which went viral
captures the number one gentlemen of the land and Ghana’s most powerful king
dancing to Daddy Lumba’s popular song ‘Yentie Obiaa’, drawing mixed reactions
from the public.
It had been captured after President
Mahama commissioned the refurbished Kumasi Airport which has enabled night flights
in Kumasi.
Just as the discussion about the
appropriateness of the video was dying down, Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister,
Joseph Yammin rekindled the debate by indicting the people including some
sub-chiefs surrounding the Otumfuo for the leakage.
At an NDC function at Adansi Asokwa,
Mr. Yammin was reportedly unhappy about the leakage of a video tape and indicated
his resolve as well as that of others to fight for the Asantehene, if Ashanti
Chiefs will not.
Joseph Yemmin - Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister
As a result, the Ashanti Youth for
Development has condemned the deputy minister for his posture on the matter
saying the statement by Mr. Yemmin is “unsavory and highly irresponsible” and
called for an apology with immediate effect.
“We have taken note of some unsavory
and highly irresponsible comments made by deputy Ashanti regional minister,
Joseph Yamin at an NDC function over the weekend. It is obvious stoking vicious
ethnic and chieftaincy fires for cheap political gain is the NDC’s stock in
trade,” the group said in a statement.
“The unfortunate Yammin wants to
draw the Golden stool and its occupant; one of Ghana’s most revered chieftaincy
institutions today at the mercy of its diabolic political schemes,” the said.
“At a typical NDC function, Yammin ,
before chiefs and enthusiastic NDC supporters, chanted that, he was going to
defend the Asantehene from what he refers to as an insults on the King of
Ashanti if chiefs and subjects are failing to do so.”
“He went on to remind the gathering
that although he was not an indigene of Ashanti, he was going to defend the
revered monarch since natives have failed to do so. These comments coming from
a deputy minister of the region on a political party platform is most
irresponsible and again a glaring indication to draw the Ashanti stool into
their diabolic political schemes.”
The group said “we must not treat
lightly for the following reasons because “Joseph Yammin did not find any other
platform appropriate for his comments than an NDC function.”
“For Yammin to pledge such feigned
and needless ‘solidarity’ to the Ashanti monarch before teeming NDC supporters
is highly irresponsible. Such statements only draw the revered king into petty
partisan politicking and should be condemned.”
The group said “in buttressing his
comments and claims, the deputy minister mentioned that the manner in which a
video of the Asantehene and the President dancing to Lumba’s ‘yentie obiaa’
tune got into public domain was a an indication of efforts by some elements to
spite the Ashanti King.”
“These comments are equally
irresponsible and mischievous because, Mr Yammin forgot that, the function at which
the President danced with the king was a private one attended by top government
and NDC officials. The videos could only have been circulated by these top
Government and NDC officials.”
They said “for him to say that
chiefs in the kingdom like natives are failing to protect the Asantehene is
most divisive and an insult to our chiefs. Is it an attempt to pitch the king
of Ashanti against his loyal chiefs and subjects?”
The youth group added “these are
chiefs who have stayed loyal to the king at all material times. The attempt by
Mr. Yammin to spite these chiefs must be condemned without equivocation.”
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