The new pressure group within the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Get Alan Kyerematen Elected (GAKE) condemns on no uncertain terms the statement made by His Excellency, John Mahama during his 3-day working visit in the Ashanti Region last week.

Having garnered over 600,000 popular votes and four (4) parliamentary seats in the region during the 2012 general elections, one would have expected President Mahama to be circumspect with his statement, especially with his background as Communications expect. What is worrying to GAKE is president Mahama's refusal to render an apology to the Occupant of the Golden Stool and the people of Asanteman.

GAKE therefore believes that John Mahama and his NDC have taken the people of Ashanti Region for granted for far too long when it comes to playing the tribal card and sharing the national cake. For instance, apart from stalling many development projects started by the NPP government such as the Sofoline Interchange, and Boankra Inland Port, the pronouncements, and actions of most key members of his government have indicted the credibility and sensibilities of Asantes in particular. In not too distant past, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu sought to find out the measures Mr. Samuel Sarpong would put in place to protect Voltarians and Northerners in Ashanti Region. This occurred in a ministerial vetting in March, 2013, and one wonders if the lives of Voltarians and Northerners were more important than Asantes and other tribes.

Thus, for Prez Mahama to have stated that the people in the Ashanti Region wouldn't appreciate his efforts, if even all roads in the regions were tired with gold is unfortunate, to say the least. Such statements are not only unpresidential, but also ethnocentric that have the tendency to divide our front as one people with a common destiny.

GAKE also recalls similar unhealthy pronouncements made by Mr. Mahama during his reign as caretaker president. President Mahama is on record to have used the word 'baloney' against NPP parliamentarians and other prominent Ghanaians who opposed the use of our precious oil find as collateral for the acquisition of Chinese loan, which is yet to materialise.

Again, in the heat of the 2012 electioneering campaigns, president Mahama assured all Voltarians that, their safety lied in the hands of NDC government so they should rally behind the party to retain power at all times. Also, president Mahama belittled the good counsel given by His Excellency, J.A. Kufuor in the heat of Hon. Ken Agyepong’s outbursts and his subsequent arrest by the police by his infamous; "If it becomes necessary to use bulldozers to kill any fly that disturbs the peace of this nation, we shall use them".

It on this note that GAKE advises president Mahama to be submissive in his endeavours, be circumspect in his pronouncements, and be more matured in his dealings with the general public, especially the people of Ashanti Region since not only Asantes live in the region. Accordingly, GAKE members urge president Mahama to render an unqualified apology to Otumfuo and the people of Asanteman in order to redeem his dented image. The role of a president is non-partisan as the president acts as the father of the nation. "Mpanin se, s3 woannya biribi amma w'ase a, y3nyae mmo no krono", to wit; If president Mahama cannot show any appreciation to the people of Ashanti Region for giving him 612,000 (28%) of the valid votes cast in the last elections, it is unethical for him to verbally abuse them.

GAKE therefore urges president Mahama to focus on fulfilling his promises of building 200,000 houses within the next 5 years through the failed STX Korea deal; providing 10% of the oil revenue to the people of Western Region; making Ghana a car assembly point through his Brazilian investors; pumping GHC600million into the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) projects annually; providing meaningful jobs to all the “Kayayo” (head potters); building 200 new senior high schools across the country; and introducing his so-called progressive free senior high school policy. This, GAKE believes, would win him more votes in Ashanti Region than the 'empty' talks.

GAKE; One more change for power!

Signed...
Katakyie Kwame Opoku Agyemang (National Coordinator) 0202471070
Michael Yaw Asante - Member
Gabriel Osei Kuffuor - Member

Katakyie Kwame Opoku Agyemang, Asante Bekwai-Asakyiri. Email: katakyienpp@yahoo.co.uk
Mobile: 0547851100 : 0264931361 : 0202471070