Kumasi gradually turning into a village – Bantamahene begs for attention

Kumasi is suffering from underdevelopment

He also wants traders off the streets and hospitals completed

The Bantamahene, Baffour Owusu Amankwatia VI, is worried about the developmental state of the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi.

The influential sub-chief in an interaction with the media has subsequently pleaded with the government to give more attention to the state of Ghana’s second-largest city.

According to a report by myjoyonline.com, the Bantamahene said Kumasi was gradually turning into a village.

Some concerns he raised had to do with the state of major roads, abandoned hospital projects and trading in the streets, which he wants the Kumasi Mayor to take decisive action on.

“When you look at the development in Kumasi, especially our roads, now we would say that the government has started trying to, you know, sort out the inner roads, but then the problem is the sort of traffic jam that we experience in Kumasi.

“Until government tries to build overheads for this city, it will be challenging for us to get over the traffic jams that we have been experiencing,” he said.

On the issue of hospitals, he lamented: “Komfo Anokye, apart from dealing with major cases, is also saddled with minor cases because there are not enough hospitals in the Ashanti region.

“Because of this, I want to plead with the government that we have Konongo Government Hospital, we have Sewua Hospital, we have Afari and then we have Fomena and then Kumewu they’ve all not been completed.

“Some people are saying that they’ve been abandoned whatever it is I want to appeal to the government that the way things are going, the only way out to help with the health situation in the Ashanti Region and especially the Northern part of Ghana is to make sure that all these hospitals are made operational,” he said.

On the subject of street trading, he called on Kumasi Mayor Sam Pyne to take action: “We have empty spaces in our market that can house all these people selling on the street. I think the issue is enforcement. People need to be told that we don’t sell on the streets.

“We are telling the Chief Executive to try and make sure that he deals with this menace. I believe it is turning Kumasi into something else,” he added.

Who is the Bantamahene – Additional files from Daily Graphic

Baffour Owusu Amankwatia VI, known in private life as Mr Sylvester Asare Owusu in 2016 succeeded his elder brother Baffour Owusu Amankwatia V who died in 2016.

The Bantama stool is very prominent in Kumasi and in the Manhyia Palace and for that, the occupant of the stool pays an unalloyed loyalty, dedication and honesty to the Asantehene.

The Bantamahene, is also the head of the Krontire clan (Head of town) of the Kumasi Traditional Council and also serves as the war marshal of the Asantehene.

The occupant of the Bantama stool is normally disarmed when he gets closer to the Asantehene to greet him, considering that he is a warrior and always carries arms.

Traditionally, anytime the Asantehene sits in state and the Bantamahene gets closer to him, the Asantehene’s bodyguards intervene to stop him, disarm him and inspect to see if he has no hidden arms on him before he is allowed to get closer to the Asantehene.

Therefore, if the Asantehene perceives the occupant of the stool as someone who is not loyal to him, he immediately destools him.