NPP/NDC machomen clash at late Bantamahene’s funeral
There was a scuffle between ‘machomen’ of the two main political parties, National Democratic Congress (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the funeral of the late Bantamahene in Kumasi on Thursday.
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This happened when President John Dramani Mahama arrived at the funeral grounds of the late Baffour Asare Owusu Amankwatiah V.
As part of the exchange of pleasantries and in line with custom, the President went round to greet mourners when he arrived.
When he went to greet the flagbearer of the NPP, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who had arrived at the funeral grounds earlier, machomen /security men of the NPP guarding the flagbearer were said to have attempted to prevent machomen and party fanatics from the NDC who followed the president from getting close to where Nana Addo was seated.
This degenerated into a brief scuffle between the two political parties’ ‘machomen’.
Graphic Online’s reporter, Kwadwo Baffoe Donkor who was at the funeral grounds reported that there was a heavy presence of police personnel in the area to provide security and also direct traffic due to the temporary closure of the main road.
According to our reporter, one could see that it was a turf war between the two groups as the NDC ‘machomen’ found their voices when the President arrived and they decided to follow him while he greeted the people.
It had to take the intervention of the military detail following the President and the jeers from some of the mourners for the confrontation to stop.
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President Mahama was in Kumasi to join the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and other dignitaries to bid farewell to the late Bantamahene, Baffour Asare Owusu Amankwatiah V, the war Marshall of the Asantehene.
The President, together with his brother, Mr Ibrahim Mahama; the Chief of Staff, Mr Julius Debrah; the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr John Alexander Ackon and other party functionaries of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) joined the bereaved families to mourn the late chief.
A large crowd of people thronged the Bantama palace where the late chief was laid in state, to pay their last respects to the fallen hero.
Among them were traditional rulers including the Mamponghene, Dasebere Osei Bonsu II; the Tepahene, Nana Adusei Atwenewa Ampem; the Kumawuhene, Barima Safo Tweneboah Kodua and the Asokore Mamponghene, Nana Boakye Ansah Debrah.
Others were politicians such as the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo; the suspended national chairman of the NPP, Mr Paul Afoko; Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, Dr Afriyie Akoto and Mr Bernard Antwi Boasiako, the Ashanti Regional chairman of the NPP.
There was also a large representation from the movie industry with the likes of Rose Mensah popularly known as Kyeiwaa and Mercy Asiedu, who also made their presence felt at the gathering.
Writer's email: enoch.frimpong@graphic.com.gh
