Otumfuo flies to Israel

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Monday morning, flew to Israel in a plush private jet for a one-week business trip, geared towards wooing investors to help in the development of Asanteman and Ghana at large.

Wearing a well-tailored suit, the occupant of the Golden Stool, before emplaning for the journey, told newsmen at the airport that he would be travelling frequently henceforth to draw investors to help in the development of the Ashanti region.

The King said he was not satisfied with the state of Kumasi lately, especially the massive traffic on the roads which impeded smooth movement of people, retarding the city’s development in the process.

The King disclosed that he would hold private talks with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netenyahu whilst in Israel, but he declined to state what exactly he would discuss with the Israeli Prime Minister.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II said he would hold similar business talks with some real estate developers in Israel whom he was hoping to bring to Kumasi for enormous construction works which would beautify the city.

He was of the view that Kumasi needed massive transformation, outlining several projects that he wanted to construct in the Garden City very soon to help make life better for the people.

Otumfuo announced that he had plans of constructing a modern shopping mall at Bantama and a real estate project at Aprabon near Kumasi to solve the accommodation problem facing the populace.

He said some investors recently expressed willingness to construct the Kumasi Central Market to a modern facility but he insisted that the construction works at the market should be linked with the Kejetia bus terminal.

Otumfuo expressed worry about the delay of the sunshine city project at the Race Course in Kumasi, disclosing he had ordered the contractors to let him know if they could not construct the project so that he would take a decision on it.

The King, again, bemoaned the congestion on the streets of Kumasi which he observed was creating unnecessary difficulties for the people, promising to intervene to solve the anomaly.

The Asantehene attributed the congestion in Kumasi to the fact that all major businesses and projects have been stationed at the centre of the city. He said he had plans of building a modern city outside Kumasi to ease the congestion in it.

The King said he would tour the city with journalists on his return to observe what was going on in the city so that he could properly come out with effective projects to solve the city’s problems.

At the airport to say bye to Otumfuo included officials from the Manhyia Palace, some chiefs, Atta Poku, the Board Chairman of Ghana Airport Company Limited, Kuntu Blankson and Alhaji Tapsoba, the Deputy National Coordinator of NYEP.