The Government has condemned the attacks on the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II following his comments on counsel given to a losing candidate in the 2016 elections during his speech at the UN General Assembly Meeting last weekend.
At a press conference on Wednesday, the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said the discourse surrounding the Asantehene’s speech had proven to be “unhealthy”.
“Even if the truths may be unpalatable to you, the government view is that we should not be attacking and running down traditional authority or Otumfuo especially; particularly for politicians who every now and then will have to be brought together by these same traditional rulers.”
Otumfuo in his speech claimed that he persuaded an unnamed losing candidate to accept defeat after the polls.
The claims by the Asantehene was also met with criticism from sections of the public.
Former President John Mahama’s office came out to say Asantehene was not involved in his decision to concede defeat in the 2016 polls.
“It is public knowledge that President Mahama willingly announced his decision to accept the outcome of the 2016 elections and congratulate Nana Akufo-Addo even before the official results were formally declared by the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission,” former Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah said in a statement.
The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, remarked to Citi News that the controversy surrounding the Asantehene’s comments were being overblown.
He also said the controversy was blown up by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as a diversion from the government’s failings.
“I think that this hullabaloo is much ado about nothing. I believe it is an attempt by operatives of the NPP to divert the attention of the nation from the major burning issues facing the country.”
Former President Jerry John Rawlings called for calm saying “comments by former President Mahama on an aspect of the address shouldn’t elicit or provoke edict sounding threats. It is unwarranted and unnecessary,