Angry Ashanti Chiefs turn heat on Ministers for disrespect

The anger of the Ashanti region house of chiefs was stretched to its limits when the Ashanti regional minister John Alexander Ackon and the Minister of Environment Science, Technology and Innovation Mahama Ayariga failed to turn up for a stakeholder interaction with the traditional authorities.

The meeting which saw paramount chiefs and their queen mothers fully represented from across the region was to discuss Ghana’s efforts at tackling climate change.

But both ministers were conspicuously missing without prior reason after the meeting had delayed three hours before starting, leaving the exasperated chiefs in limbo.

The chiefs who felt disrespected by the act took it hard on the representatives of the ministers in question, who tried albeit unsuccessfully to convince the chairperson of the meeting –- the Mamponghene Nana Daasebre Osei Bonsu II.

It was a nervy grilling moment when the Mamponghene lambasted the government appointees for disrespecting the stools present at the meeting.

“We were told that the ministry was on a road show on environmental issues and wanted to meet chiefs. This is not our own meeting on our agenda.”

“We called our chiefs and even invited all our queen mothers to join us here. I am here representing the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II but what saddens me is that when I look around, I don’t find the minister here. I don’t also find our own regional minister here.”

“I don’t know why and I want an explanation why the environment minister and the regional minister failed to turn up because we are here on their instance,” he fumed.

The acting executive director of the Environmental Protection Agency John Pwamang who was left tensed tried explaining why the minister of environment Mahama Ayariga failed to show up but kept digging himself in, every word along the way.

He pointed out amidst apologies that the minister had been given a late assignment by the president John Dramani Mahama.

But just when he thought he had given a tangible explanation, Mamponghene Nana Daasebre Osei Bonsu II inquired further what specific assignment the minister was pursuing; a question which left Mr Pwamang wanting.

The deputy director of the regional coordinating council Francis Dwira was equally virtually unsettled by the drilling of the chiefs when he took his turn to apologize for the absence of the Ashanti Regional minister John Alexander Ackon.

‘Nana chairman, the honourable minister would have wished to be here, but there is an emergency security situation at Obuase. It is a galamsey issue and the regional security called on him to rush to Obuase to save some situation,’ he apologised.

A clearly unconvinced Nana Daasebre Osei Bonsu II quizzed in what capacity the minister was in Obuasi.

He demanded whether Mr Ackon was there as a regional minister or as an aspiring Member of Parliament for Obuase West.

The programme which continued after a ceremony of apologies however didn’t see the Mamponghene take the humiliation as he stepped out the hall leaving his chairmanship to the Kumawuman hene.