SPECIAL REPORT ON NANA ADDO'S TOUR OF ASHANTI

INTRO:

The flagbearer of the NPP, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo, has promised to adequately resource the National Vocational Training Institute, NVTI, with the requisite logistics to enable it to serve its original mandate of providing adequate vocational and technical skills to particularly the youth for them to be self-employed. This will be one   of the strategies of his government to fight unemployment in the country, if the party is re-elected into power after this year’s elections. 

This was one of Nana Akuffo Addo’s campaign messages during his just-ended “Arise for Change” five-day campaign tour of the Ashantiregion.

  

ASHANTI REGION  IN POLITICS AND NANA ADDO'S TEAM

 The Ashanti region has over the years, proven to be the stronghold of the New        Patriotic Party. The region also has the highest number of 47 Constituencies with about two point-seven million voters. It was therefore not surprising that the flagbearer of the party and his campaign team decided to spend five days in what appears to be the first phase of the party’s campaign in the lead up to this year’s Presidential and Parliamentary elections. On Nana Akuffo Addo’s campaign tour were very prominent members of the party. They included the Acting National First Vice Chairman,  Frederick Fredua Anto who is also a former Ashanti regional Chairman of the party, former Minister of State in the Kuffuor government such as  John Alan Kyeremateng, the MP for Asante Mampong, Addai Nimo and the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Bernard Antwi Boasiako.

 THE CAMPAIGN

 Adugyama in the Ahafo Ano South East Constituency was the first port of call where Nana Akuffo Addo first paid a courtesy call on the chief, Nana Boakye Yiadom Kotoko. He later addressed a mini rally of enthusiastic party faithful where he told the people that, as part of the district industrialization plan, the next NPP government would consider establishing a factory for the processing of maize, oil palm and tomatoes in the Ahafo Ano South district to boost cultivation of those commodities which the district is already noted for. 

On the same day, Nana Akuffo Addo’s campaign trail visited communities including Sabronum, also in the Ahafo Ano South East Constituency, Tepa in the Ahafo Ano North Constituency, Mpasaso Number One and Number Two and Kunsu in the Ahafo Ano South West Constituency where the enthusiastic crowd which had been waiting for him since morning would not allow him to go without addressing them.

 At all the places including Tepa, Nana Akuffo Addo first called on the chiefs before   addressing the highly expectant people.

   DAY TWO    

 The team addressed another group under the umbrella of the Ghana National Garages Association also in the Suame Magazine enclave. From the Suame Magazine, Nana Akuffo Addo and his campaign team rode through Krofrom and Dichemso before entering the famous Manhyia Palace where a durbar of the Asanteman Traditional Council, under the leadership of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu, had been held. After exchanging pleasantries and courtesies, the NPP’s 2016 Presidential candidate was formally introduced to the Asantehene in particular and Asanteman in general, by a royal and also former President of Ghana,  John Agyekum Kuffuor. 

Mr. Kuffuor appealed to the traditional leaders to extend the same courtesies, support and cooperation he enjoyed during his two terms as the Head of State of the country to Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo as he leads the major opposition party into the next national elections.

 In his message, Nana Akuffo Addo noted that Ghanaians are reeling under socio-economic hardships due to what he described as bad leadership by President John Mahama. He promised to complete all programmes, policies and projects initiated by former President Kuffuor. He named some of them as the Boankra Inland Port, the Railway rehabilitation, Sofoline interchange while strengthening the NHIS to support healthcare for all. 

      In his remarks, Otumfuo Osei Tutu traced the long standing political       relationship between Asanteman Traditional Council and the NPP starting from the formation of the UP, fore-runner of current day NPP. Otumfuo Osei Tutu also traced his personal relationship with the NPP’s flagbearer dating to his pre-enstoolment days when Nana Akuffo Addo was his private legal counselor.     

 If the reception for  Nana Akuffo Addo was encouraging on day one, then that of day two was overwhelming. Right from the Manhyia Palace through Ashanti New Town, the Suame Roundabout, Abrepo Junction, the Banatama Market, Pampaso, Central Prisons, PZ, the frontage of the Kumasi Central Market, Roman Hill and Bompata, the crowd was just unimaginable as virtually all economic activities came to a halt as movement of Nana Akuffo Addo became very difficult.      

 The team later addressed a mini rally of settler communities at the Saint Cyprian’s Park in the Subin Constituency. 

 DAY THREE

On day three of the campaign tour, Nana Akuffo Addo started off with a courtesy call on the chief of Adansi Fomena, Opagyak)twere Bonsra Afriyie, who is also the President of the Adansi Traditional Council at his palace. 

Opagyak)twere Bonsra Afriyie appealed to Nana Akuffo Addo, if he is elected the President of Ghana, to address problems that are causing delays in the disbursement of mineral royalties to beneficiary traditional authorities. 

Nana Akuffo Addo assured the chiefs that his government will review all transactions relating to the Anglogold Mine to ensure value for money and create jobs for residents of theAdansi traditional area. 

From Adansi Fomena, Nana Akuffo Addo’s campaign trail hit the Obuasi East Constituency where the residents had already line up the road in anticipation of his arrival. He made a stopover to address a mini rally at Tutuka. 

He found time to worship with the Obuasi Central Mosque where he promised to prioritize development of the Zongo communities. 

 Residents of Obuasi West Constituency would not give way to the campaign team until the flagbearer had addressed them at the Obuasi Black Park where he also introduced the Parliamentary Candidate,  Kwaku Kwarteng. 

 Perhaps Nana Akuffo Addo’s visit to Akrofuom could be seen as historic in the sense that that is the root of the Akyems who legend has it migrated from Adansi Akrofuom. Therefore, he considered the visit as homecoming. 

After calling on the traditional leaders at the palace, Nana Akuffo Addo again, addressed a mini rally of enthusiastic party supporters before addressing similar rallies at Anwhiaso in the Adansi Asokwa Constituency and New Edubiase where he again introduced the Parliamentary Candidates to the chiefs and the residents. 

 DAY FOUR

On day four of the “Arise for Change” campaign tour, Nana Akuffu Addo first paid a courtesy call on the paramount chief of Agona, Nana Anokye Frimpong who told the flagbearer to have a big heart to accommodate all criticisms in the run up to the elections. 

Nana Akuffo Addo also worshipped with the Wiamoase local congregation of the Saviour Church and assured the congregants that neither he nor the NPP has any ill feelings toward the church as is being speculated and made a cash donation to the church. 

A visit to the Silver Stool House at Asante Mampong brought nostalgic feelings to Nana Akuffo Addo. His late better half with whom they have a daughter was from the Asante Mampong Bretuo royal family. 

 Speaking about his district industrialization plans, Nana Akuffo Addo promised to build an agro-processing factory at Mampong to manufacture animal feed and yeast from the maize which is the main crop produced in and around the Mampong Municipality. 

The Asante Mamponhene, Daasebre Osei Bonsu, said he and other prominent chiefs in the Ashanti region are working behind the scene to ensure that this year’s elections are fair, transparent, free and peaceful.

 Nana Akuffo Addo later drove through a large number of people before addressing a crowd at the Tadiem Park. 

 At Kwamang, Beposo and Nsuta in the Nsuta-Kwamang-Beposo Constituency, enthusiastic supporters of the NPP defied heavy down pour to receive Nana Akuffo Addo even though the team arrived late in the day. 

 DAY FIVE

On the 5^th and last day of the “Arise for Change” campaign tour in the Ashanti region, Nana Akuffo Addo worshipped with the Ashanti North region Men’s Ministry of the Assemblies of God Church at their Regional Convention at the Christian Village in Kumasi where the leadership of the Ministry said prayers for him.

 He rounded off the campaign tour at the Agogo in the Asante Akyem North Constituency where, as usual, paid a courtesy call on the chiefs and was received by the Krontihene, Nana Kwame Nti and the queen, Nana Afrakoma. 

Nana Kwame Nti called on the NPP flagbearer to impress upon his supporters, particularly the youth, to stay away from acts that could spark off violence before, during or after the upcoming elections. 

Nana Akuffo Addo, from the palace, inaugurated the NPP’s Constituency office and also launched the Constituency’s campaign which was well attended by members and sympathizers of the party. In a message, Nana Akuffo Addo said the NPP is endowed with capable people to reverse the current bad economic situation of the country.

      

CONCLUSION

For all intents and purposes, the five-day Ashanti regional “Arise for Change”

       campaign tour of Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo was successful as he was

       warmly received by both members and non-members of the NPP.