Thursday, March 18, 2010

OTUMFUO CALLS FOR CALM (SPREAD, MARCH 18, 2010)

THE Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has urged the youth in Kumasi to exercise maximum restraint over their reactions to the Tuobodom-Techiman chieftaincy conflict.
The appeal followed the swift intervention by President Mills in the matter through a high-powered delegation from the Presidency, which flew to Kumasi last Tuesday afternoon to meet the Asantehene.
Mr G.B. Osei-Antwi, Public Relations Officer at the Manhyia Palace, told the Daily Graphic that Otumfuo was confident that the right thing would be done, after the intervention by the President’s delegation.
According to Mr Osei-Antwi, the Asantehene would want his people to let peace prevail to enable the law enforcement agencies to do their work.
Mr Osei-Antwi said the Asantehene was a man of peace and would therefore not do anything that would turn back the clock of progress.
“Otumfuo only wanted the right thing to be done with respect to the behaviour of the Techimanhene towards the Tuobodomhene,” he said.
Tensions started mounting in Kumasi after the Asantehene warned that the Techimanhene, Osabarima Akumfi Ameyaw, would be captured in Kumasi if the police failed to arrest him for the kidnapping and subsequent torture of the Tuobodomhene, Nana Baffour Asare II, at the Techimanhene’s palace.
Otumfuo also asked the government to choose between him and the Techimanhene in view of the alleged statement by the Techimanhene that his government was in power and was, therefore, not afraid of anyone.
Some enraged youth in Kumasi last Tuesday allegedly attempted to create trouble at the various Techiman lorry stations in Kumasi, causing panic and fear among passengers and drivers.
Heavily built men (machomen) also massed up at the Manhyia Palace chanting war songs.
There was a state of calmness at the main Techiman station at the Kejetia terminal and the Metro Mass Transit station at Abrepo Junction.
Passengers were boarding vehicles without any difficulty, and transport operators and drivers confirmed that nothing nasty had happened.

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