A pressure group in the Ashanti Region calling itself Bantama Youth Association has condemned senior advisor to the President, Yaw Osafo Marfor, over his recent ethnocentric comment made against Asanteman.
The Presidential Advisor has come under criticism after he was caught in a secret recording comparing the impact of Ashanti’s compared to Akims on Ghana’s independence where he touted the Akims as the lead fighters for independence.
But in a press conference, the spokesperson of the Bantama Youth Association, Kwame Awuah Nimfour described the former senior minister’s statement as a purely dislikeable, and one that promotes hate for Asantes.
The group also argued that the Asantes played a significant role in the formation of the New Patriotic Party and hence wondered why such a comment would be passed by a respected figure.
“We are not surprised that the contents of the alleged audio are coming from Yaw Osarfo Marfo. We are aware he has a history of making the supposedly tribalistic comment. He is, however, shocked that the Asantes will be drawn into an issue that is purely partisan and should not be tribalized.
“Hon Yaw Osarfo Marfo is a tribal bigot. And I don’t understand why he opens himself up for insults from many people including the youth. If you are dealing with your party issues in your region, why must you attack Asantes?” the aggrieved Bantama Youth expressed.
They also attributed the lack of development in the Ashanti Region to what amounted to Yaw Asafo Marfo’s comment.
According to them, the Ashanti Region under the tenure of President Akufo Addo-led government hasn’t been encouraged, a situation they believe clearly shows how planned it has become to sideline Asanteman from the fair share of the national cake.
Justifying their claims, the spokesperson added that successive governments under former Presidents John Agyekum Kufour, late President Atta Mills, and John Dramani Mahama started the Sofoline interchange project but President Akufo-Addo has failed to complete the project.
The Bantama youth have since given the former MP for Akim Oda Yaw Osafo Marfo two weeks ultimatum to retract the supposed statement or else face their wrath, as captured by Angel News reporter Bismark Mensah.
