Chairman Wontumi
The machinations against the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and obstacles on its way, especially during the run-up to the general election would be more than the ‘Berlin Wall’.
It is not unbreakable but it requires the resilience and sacrifices of the residents of then East Berlin to break the wall down. Opponents of the governing NPP know the worth of the Akufo-Addo government, and have resorted to communist inferior tactics to mislead the electorate.
Nobody doubts the current economic difficulties, but the naysayers who are not politicians, but journalists, university lecturers and civil society activists, pretend that Covid and Russia-Ukraine war have no impact on our present circumstances.
These groups of people have become megaphones of propaganda to lead the people astray in their contract for the ‘equalisation of the incompetent’ tag on John Mahama and his NDC.
Thus the forces mounting against the government would increase their activities just to create the impression that the NPP government too has failed.
We re-echo it for the sake of those with short memories. President Akufo-Addo said, “We know how to rebuild the economy, but we cannot bring back those who lost their lives because of Covid back to life.”
How can such a leader be said to be incompetent when for almost one year, public servants including University teachers stayed at home but got paid. Maybe, Professors Bokpin and Ransford Gyampo never got paid.
Last Monday, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi appeared before the Kumasi Traditional Council for making some derogatory remarks against the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu.
For more than two weeks, most media platforms devoted their attention to this issue just to make the NPP unpopular in their stronghold, although none of these media platforms and journalists could state categorically what Chairman Wontumi said.
The Kokosohene who made the claim could not also substantiate his claims, compelling the Kumasi Traditional Council to dismiss the allegations against Chairman Wontumi. Whether it is about the political kingdom or traditional kingdom, there are useful but bitter lessons to be learnt by all, especially Chairman Wontumi.
It also shows that we must be careful about what we say and where we say in order not to be misconstrued. Remember Jesus Christ was betrayed by no other than one of his disciples, Judas.
It must be clear to Chairman Wontumi by now that, not all his close allies want him to succeed as Regional Chairman, and to lead the campaign in the Region for Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia to break the eight.
We know Chairman Wontumi to be religious, and quotes Scriptures to make his argument all the time. We know Chairman Wontumi also knows about Peter, one of the trusted allies of Jesus Christ, who denied the Saviour three times before the cock could crow.
Whether the NPP likes it or not, Chairman Wontumi is key to the campaign of the NPP in the Ashanti Region but his rise to fame must not make him arrogant. He must look back at his humble beginning and accept that he needs the cooperation of the collective to make history as the most successful Regional Chairman. We urge him never to show disrespect to the Asantehene, Asanteman and the Kumasi Traditional Council.
The followers of NPP revere the Asantehene, and any political figure who disrespects Otumfuo would be doomed.
The Ashanti Region is key and strategic to securing victory for Vice President Bawumia. And nothing, absolutely nothing should be allowed to derail that agenda. Following the successful outcome of last Saturday’s primaries, the NDC and its allies in the media, academia and civil society would not sleep.
They would continue to ‘manufacture’ the stories to create the impression that the NPP is responsible for the country’s woes. They are bent on throwing dust into our eyes when in contrast to the decision to go to the IMF for instance, the difference is clear.
The John Mahama administration took us to IMF in 2015 when there was no global challenge but mainly as a result of mismanagement manifested in over four years of dumsor, making some think that JDM is synonymous with John Dumsor Mahama. All signs point to the fact that NPP is on the brink of breaking the eight but the NDC propaganda must be defeated.
Now that the NDC has failed in Ashanti Region, no one knows their next target. The NDC is not sleeping as they are prepared to sacrifice their first borns for power. What the NPP needs to stop them in their track is vigilance, effective communication and hard work.