'This is not the time to be eloquent' - Why Otumfuo rejected his written speech at the 'Heal KATH' initiative launch

On Friday, November 10, 2023, at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital premises, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II rejected a written speech in the presence of hundreds of people gathered at the hospital.

The gathering was to launch a fundraising drive to renovate the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).

However, when it was his turn to address the gathering, the King of the Ashanti Region rejected the written speech file given to him.

"Instead of delivering his speech in English, the Monarch chose to use the local dialect of the Asantes – Twi, to address the congregation to the surprise and admiration of all present," Opemsuo.com reported.

The official mouth piece for Manhyia Palace added that "His Majesty, in the course of his submission, noted that the condition of the hospital did not require an eloquent speech but understanding in championing the good cause.

“This is not the time to be eloquent,” he said, reasoning with the public to support the renovation and justifying the rejection of the written speech.

“The state of the hospital is a matter of an emergency, and that’s why we are here. Corporate institutions, businesses, professionals, and all must contribute their quota. No amount is meager.”

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has entreated all Ghanaians, Corporate institutions, businesses, professionals, etc to contribute their quota to save KATH.

State of KATH Embarrassing

Speaking at the event, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II characterized the current state of the hospital as embarrassing and stressed the urgent need to raise funds to attend to the building, which is close to 70 years old.

He disclosed that he personally inspected the hospital on two different occasions —all at midnight- to ascertain the degree of its dilapidation and then charged the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, Prof Otchere Addai-Mensah, and some executives of the hospital to develop a financial proposal for the renovation.

“I’ve been there twice all at midnight to inspect the hospital. I saw the sorry state it sits in…Why should the hospital suffer this fate if Komfo Anokye himself never got ill? So I promised to amass help for this project.”

“12 of 16 regions have their patients referred here. Patients get drenched when it rains and the exposed wires can cause fire outbreaks when rainwater comes into contact with the wires. Even the new Emergency Ward is in dire need of renovation. We will be brought to this hospital when the need arises and so there is a need to work it out.”

According to him, the project cannot wait for any government since many governments reigned and ended their tenure without any particular attention to the hospital.

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OGB