You cannot destool Omanhene- Asantehene

Nkoranza (B/A) Dec. 7, GNA - Otumfuo Osei Tutu 11, Asantehene, warned at the weekend that no group of persons or individuals has the audacity to destool an Omanhene in Asante Kingdom. He emphasized that such action could only be taken with his endorsement.

Addressing a durbar of the chiefs and people at Nkoranza to climax their annual "Munufie Kese" yam festival, the Asantehene expressed concern about subtle attempts through suits by some chiefs and leaders in Nkoranza traditional area to destool the Omanhene, Okatakyie Agyeman Kudom 1V. He advised such persons to stop and rather to promote love, peace, unity and understanding among the people to enhance the development process, "since there cannot be any development if you are divided".

Otumfuo Osei Tutu stressed that the Ashanti and Bono Kingdom still remained as one Kingdom in spite of the political boundaries that had divided the people into ethnic groups with him as the head. He advised that if any community had a problem with the Omanhene the best place to seek a resolution was the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi where he would ensure that such issues would be addressed to promote peace and understanding.

"All citizens of Nkoranza should forge ahead in unity and eschew differences to build a stable and congenial environment to enable our future leaders to contribute to the development of Nkoranzaman", he said. The Asantehene announced a donation of 100 million cedis out of the Otumfuo Education Endowment Fund to support the Nkoranzaman Education Endowment Fund launched by the chiefs and people of Nkoranza Traditional Area. He said, he appreciated the foresight and efforts of Okatakyie Agyemang Kudom in mobilizing the people in the promotion of the education in the area.

The Asantehene called on the people to contribute their widow's mite in support of the fund and to help sustain it for the accelerated development of the traditional area. Nana Kwadwo Seinti, Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, appealed to the Asantehene to visit other areas under the Kingdom to help resolve problems and challenges confronting them.

In a welcoming address, Okatakyie Agyemang Kudom commended the government for the institution of the capitation grant for basic schools, which, he said had encouraged parents to enroll their wards in schools. He appealed to parents to be more responsible and to support the scheme by providing the necessary basic needs such as food, uniforms and exercise books for their wards to make them feel at ease at school.

The Omanhene called on teachers to redouble efforts to provide effective and efficient teaching and expressed gratitude to the Asantehene for assisting seven students, four girls and three boys, who had benefited from the Otumfuo Education Endowment Fund. The Omanhene appealed to the Asantehene to increase the number of beneficiary students, as the traditional area was large and covered four constituencies, with four Members of Parliament and three District Chief Executives.

About 11 chiefs were elevated to the status of divisional and sub-divisional status whilst seven other personalities were also presented with certificates for their efforts towards the development of Nkoranzaman. The occasion attracted personalities including Mr. James Kwabena Appiah Awuah, Nkoranza DCE, Mr. S. K. Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr. Kwame Ampofo-Twumasi, Deputy Minister of Education and Sports and MP for Nkoranza South, Mr. Yaw Adjei Duffour, Kintampo South DCE. Others were Dr. Kwasi Nsia Gyabaah, Principal of Sunyani Polytechnic and Dr. Inneke Bossman, a medical officer at St. Theresa's hospital at Nkoranza who spearheaded the establishment of Nkoranza community health insurance scheme, the first in the country.