Dr. Frank Amoakohene (second from right) with others, displaying the controversial cloth in his office
THE ASHANTI Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, seems to have incurred the wrath of a section of Kumasi residents, especially Asante natives, over some sacred Asanteman symbols.
The under fire minister has been seen a viral picture with other people where they were happily displaying a cloth, which is adorned with National Democratic Congress (NDC) colours and some Asanteman symbols and logos.
The said cloth, sighted by the paper, has the picture of an umbrella, decorated with the black, red, white and green colours of the ruling NDC, the political party that Dr. Amoakohene belongs to.
Also, the controversial cloth is decorated with ‘Denkyemkye’, the official symbol of authority of the Asantehene, and a porcupine, another key symbol of the Asante kingdom.
In the picture, the Ashanti Regional Minister and some few people, who are believed to be NDC members, were boldly displaying the controversial cloth, amid smiles, in his (minister’s) office.
From the picture, it seems the Ashanti Regional Minister and his people were trying to send a strong message to the public that the NDC is now for Asanteman, or it has taken over the Asante Kingdom.
Not surprisingly, the controversial picture has generated deep anger among some Kumasi residents, notably Asante natives, who have strongly condemned the weird actions of the regional minister.
Some social media users have even descended heavily on Dr. Amoakohene, accusing him of trying to link the Manhyia Palace, the seat of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, to his beloved NDC.
“Manhyia must call this guy to order. This is highly unacceptable,” one Kwame Adu, who claimed to draw his lineage from Asante, wrote on social media after seeing the picture.
Other social media users, who have also been angered by the same controversial picture, have sternly cautioned the Ashanti Regional Minister not to involve the Manhyia Palace in his NDC politics.
“Manhyia Palace is far bigger and influential than any political party in the country, so the Ashanti Regional Minister should not try to link the palace to the NDC. This is childish,” Rita Adu wrote.
One Jerry Mensah, also wrote, “This is below the belt, Dr. Frank Amoakohene kindly pull it down,” with Isaac Dwobeng Appiah writing, “stop attaching the Asanteman logo to your politics. These logos have nothing to do with your NDC.”
Other social media users also admonished the Ashanti Regional Minister to quickly pull down the picture from his Facebook wall, in order to reduce the tension that the picture is generating.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah, Kumasi