In the past days, the Bantama Youth in the Ashanti Region have been protesting what they describe as neglect by the NPP government as far as developmental projects are concerned.
Displaying the green, yellow and black flags of the Ashanti kingdom, alongside the Ghana flag, the agitated youth clad in red outfits stormed the streets of Kumasi to register their displeasure on Wednesday, June 22, 2022.
The spokesperson of the group, Kwame Awuah Nimfour, addressing the press, said the Ashanti Region, which has supported most politicians with votes, cannot boast of any developmental projects in the past years, especially during the era of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
According to him, a total of six projects have been captured in the past four budgets presented to parliament but are yet to be completed.
“In the last 4 budgets presented to parliament, it was announced that some developmental projects would be done in the Ashanti Region. The first 3 are the Anloga Flyover, Airport Roundabout flyover, and the Suame Interchange.
“It was in the budget. It is the monies coming from Ashanti Region that are being used to develop Ghana. It is the yet-to-be extracted Bauxite in the Ashanti Region, which president Akufo-Addo has even used as collateral for Ghana…Why is the NPP government neglecting us?”
He then praised former presidents, J.A.Kuffour, John Atta Mills, and John Dramani Mahama for their contribution to the growth of the region.
“The next on the list is the Sofoline Interchange started by former president John Agyekum Kufour, which late former president Mills and Mahama continued. Why has the interchange been stalled in the era of Nana Addo? What sin has Asanteman committed?
“Also on the part of health, late former president Mills aided in starting the Afari Regional Military Hospital, and then Mahama came to continue. Now the project has been stalled. What wrong has Asanteman committed against the Akufo-Addo government? This confirms the statement of the Presidential adviser, Osafo Maafo. Why?”
The youth, however, have vowed to vote out all the 47 MPs in the Ashanti Region, in the upcoming 2024 general elections, if their concerns are not properly addressed soon.
Watch the press conference below: