Failure on the part of former President John Mahama, to honour an invitation sent to him to join in the celebration of 63rd Independence Anniversary has been condemned by the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Benard Antwi Boasiako.

Mr. Bernard Antwi-Boasiako in an interview with ghbeyondpolitics.com claims that Mr. Mahama's absence from the event provides more reason for the people in the Ashanti region to vote massively against him in 2020.

According to him, organizers of the event reserved a special invitation for the former President and accorded him the highest respect he deserves as a former head of state.

Affectionately called Chairman Wontumi also stated "I am not going to sound tribal, it isn't a good thing but you can tell that John Mahama doesn't respect Asantes. In time past he openly insulted us by telling us we are ingrates. We reserved a seat for him but he ignored us".

He added that "when our great King Otumfuo Osei Tutu II revealed that it took his intervention after the 2016 elections for John Mahama to handover power to President Akufo-Addo, he (John Mahama) called him a liar. Today, the region has invited you to join us celebrate Ghana's Independence and you disrespect us by not showing up".

Chairman Wontumi noted that former President Mahama should have at least "shown respect to Ashantis by informing the Protocol team why he couldn't show up just as former President Rawlings officially did".