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Opinions of Monday, 8 February 2021

Columnist: Asante Action Group

Asantes vote for effective democratic leaders

Members of the Ashanti Group Members of the Ashanti Group

For centuries due to our large population, we have mainly been magnanimous. without reacting to a developing well-orchestrated assault on our image, aspirations and future.

There has been a school of journalists and controversial personalities who aspire to be national spokespersons and have been making sick comments about Asantes hoping to give us a bad name. Such lies and innuendos have been unanswered for far too long.

Consequently, we are making all and sundry know that with Asante Action Group we intend to correct such aspersions and wrong sense of prejudice and let the truth prevail always.

Some personalities are spewing such tribal sentiments that H.E Alhaji Dr. Bawumia is not likely to win the hearts of Asantes to enable him to make headway in the 2024 election. Speaking on Angel 102.9FM’s Mr. Ben Ephson, a journalist and pollster opined that voters in the Ashanti may not vote for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) if Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is elected the party’s flagbearer.

The Akufo Addo government has been in power for just one month and it is too early for anyone to act like a "False prophet”. These assertions are not factual and the premises from which Mr. Ephson and others draw such inference are totally flawed.

These statements are unnecessary and disingenuous to the progress of our national dispensation. Ashanti’s are not tribalistic and do not sacrifice their genuine beliefs at the altar of tribal bias.
Asantes have always supported personalities who aspire to advocate for;

-TRUE DEMOCRACY with FREEDOM in all aspects,

-ENTREPRENEURSHIP,

-FAIRNESS IN DEVELOPMENT and lack of

- ENVINESS irrespective of aspirant’s tribal lineage.

We supported Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia, (Non-Asante) and we were against General I. K. Acheampong (an Asante) as he went against our principles (especially with Union Government)

We supported Nana Akuffo-Addo (a non-Asante), and in fact, he got more votes numerically than our own Asante, Mr. J. A. Kufuor.

Consequently to rush to judgement to wrongly assume we will not support H.E Alhaji Dr. Bawumia is mischievous and a wrong analysis made to sow negative tribalistic tendencies in our national discourse

After all who are you to speak for Asantes! You are not one of us. “Dze wo fie Asem”
As far as Asantes are concerned, all candidates have to prove their worth and commitment to fair Development and freedom... Asantes will vote for the best out of the lot.

Our votes will not be taken for granted. All candidates would have to work hard for Asantes vote.
So to all and sundry, Asante magnanimity has its limits and we will not take mischaractizations and premature conclusions unanswered again

When the time comes for the NPP primaries, due process will be followed and the people will elect their flag bearer on their own volition and not based on tribal affections. Asantes do not hate themselves that much to allow the success of political elements whose objective is to fan trouble and sow political and tribal discord in their ranks.

Asante’s are persevering, hardworking, clean people who believe in freedom, entrepreneurship and democracy.

They have played major roles in the developments of Ghana and West African and will never be perturbed by misguided elements with their negative agenda.

We are overtly magnanimous and traditionally accept all major ethnic groups. Asantes have been traditionally hosting and accommodating all the major tribes in West Africa in our midst in a peaceful way for centuries. Each group has their own place and representation in our traditional setting but within our laws. This is a unique character which Asantes have, that is vital to the development of Ghana and West Africa.