Kyeremanten's supporters invade festival

(The Chronicle) -- Thousands of people who defied the heavy downpour to celebrate the on Saturday were held spellbound as a group of young ladies and men wearing T-shirts embossed with the photograph of the Activists of Alan Kyeremanten, an NPP aspiring presidential candidate, on Staurday invaded a durbar ground.

The activists, holding a banner of Alan Kyeremanten, turned the splendid durbar of Chiefs into a political rally at the dismay of many guests and prominent people including Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, former Vice President and National Democratic Congress presidential candidate and Dr. Kobina Arthur Kennedy, Papa Owusu Ankomah, both NPP presidential hopefuls.

The conduct of the group diluted the splendor of the rich cultural dis¬play of the people of the former colonial capital.

The Chronicle, observing the event at Cape Coast Victoria Park, now called Jubilee Park, noted that the group, emerging from the main entrance of the durbar grounds amidst singing and chanting, ‘Alan Kyeremanten is the President of Ghana’, carried two banners, one with a bold picture of him and the other with blue and red inscriptions.

The group attempted to force their way to the place where Prof. Mills and his entourage were seated but were prevented by Mills’ bodyguards.

They trotted round the durbar grounds and a while later, they gathered at the extreme left of the podium.

The whole durbar grounds became quiet as people wondered how and pondered over why a group of young ladies and men could exhibit such behaviour even to the extent of invading a Festival being attended by prominent members of the society and then turn it into a political rally.

Dr. Kennedy who had also come to celebrate the Festival was shocked to the marrow. The American-trained Medical Doctor was spotted sitting among the people but he was later moved to the podium where he sat quietly.

Shortly after the display President John Agyekum Kufuor and his entourage including Papa Owusu Ankomah, former Education Minister; Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Tourism Minister; Mr. Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Chieftaincy Minister; Ms Christine Churcher, MP for Cape Coast and Joe Hackman, MP for Gomoa West, arrived at the durbar amidst displays by dispatch riders.

The conduct of Alan Kyeremanten's group, stirred up some celebrants who left the durbar grounds shortly after President Kufuor read his speech and as the Asafo Companies marched off the durbar grounds.

According to The Chronicle, Media reports, two weeks ago, indicated that similar conduct by Alan's group was portrayed during the funeral rites of the late mother of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Joe Ghartey at Essikado in the Western Region.

Last year, Mr. Stephen Asamoah Boateng, the Local Government Minister, who represented President Kufuor at the festival caused a stir when he refused to alight from his vehicle for about 15 minutes on the grounds that the chiefs had not arrived at the durbar grounds.

It took the intervention of the Regional Police Commander, NPP party members and the Central Regional Minister to persuade him and his beautiful wife to alight from the cross-country vehicle.

President John Agyekum Kufuor has meanwhile described Cape Coast as the epicenter of education that has produced many civil servants, professors and statesmen who have contributed immensely to the development of the country.

Speaking at the Festival President Kufuor promised to elevate Cape Coast to a Metropolitan status and construct an ultra-modern sports sta¬dium for the former colonial capital.

He also promised to build an ultra-modern market complex for Cape Coast at a cost of $4 million.

President Kufuor added that very soon, the perennial water shortage in the Central Region would be a thing of the past as his Administration had embarked on massive water projects in the Region. He mentioned Sekyere Hemang, Baafikrom, Brimsu, Kwanyarko and Winneba Water Works expansion and modernization as efforts geared towards solving the water problem in the Region.

President Kufuor commended the University of Cape Coast (UCC) for initiating the Medical School and promised to support the move with funds and logistics.

He said the construction of the Mallam-Yamoransa Road was to facilitate easy access to business and investment and that the Awutu-Effutu-Senya and Gomoa Districts were yet to harvest the first fruits of the Millennium Challenge Account project.

He said the future of the country was bright and urged the youth to have confidence in the country.

Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, Omanhen of the Oguaa Traditional Area, urged drivers who ply the Accra-Cape Coast route to exercise caution in order to help reduce the increasing number of accidents on the road.

President Kufuor donated ¢20 million and assorted drinks to the chiefs and people of Cape Coast and presented another ¢20 million towards the organization of the Cape Coast Afahye Cup Match to be played on September 9 between Dwarfs and Vipers.

Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, aspiring CPP presidential candidate, Papa Owusu Ankomah and Mr. Alan Kyeremanten, each presented ¢5 million to the Oguaa Traditional Council, towards the construction of a Palace.