It is distasteful to denigrate Otumfuo and other traditional authorities – Oppong Nkrumah

GNA Politics Sep - 19 - 2019 , 08:29

Government has condemned derogatory remarks targeted at Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, over his comment at the United Nations last Friday, as unwarranted.

While speaking at the UN high level forum on the Culture of Peace on Friday, September 13, Otumfuo Osei Tutu stated that he had to intervene and persuade President John Mahama to concede defeat to Nana Akufo-Addo during the 2016 Presidential Elections or else the nation would have been plunged into electoral violence.

However, in a quick rebuttal, a statement issued by the Office of Former President Mahama and signed by Mr Julius Debrah, a former Chief of Staff in the Mahama’s administration strongly denied Otumfuo’s assertion.

Commenting on the matter at a press briefing in Accra on Wednesday, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Information Minister, said it was disappointing that some persons had chosen to attack Otumfuo’s comments at the UN.

The Minister said Government considered the invitation of Otumfuo Osei Tutu to the UN Headquarters to speak as respect to Otumfuo and the Ghanaian traditional authority in general.

Traditional authorities, he said, had been very helpful in ensuring unity and social cohesion in the country; therefore, if the truth being spoken by the revered King was not palatable, it was wrong for anyone to rundown traditional authority and integrity of Otumfuo.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah said it was distasteful for anyone to denigrate traditional authorities, especially when the traditional leaders every now and then rally together young politicians and resolve their differences whenever there is tension.

Therefore, it was prudent for people to refrain from any acts that appear to question the integrity of the traditional rulers and described the response from former President Mahama’s camp as unhealthy.

A statement issued by Mr Debrah on Sunday, September 15, 2019 read: “I state without equivocation that the decision to concede and congratulate Nana Akufo-Addo even before the official results were declared was taken by President Mahama without any persuasion from any quarters”.