The under fire Major of Kumasi, Kojo Bonsu, has finally shown rumours by apologising to Asanteman for his rude behavior towards the Overlord of the Asante Kingdom, Otumfuor Osei Tutu II.
In a statement signed and released by the embattled Mayor on Friday, Bonsu said “I have taken notice of concerns raised by Nananom of the Kumasi Traditional Council over recent developments in the metropolis. I wish to render an unqualified apology to Asantehene Otumfour Osei Tutu II and Nananom for any actions and inactions on my part, which may have incurred their displeasure”.
He added “Since assuming office as the Metropolitan Chief Executive of Kumasi, I have enjoyed tremendous support and cooperation from Nananom. Together, we have developed a healthy working relationship as stakeholders in the collective pursuit of the development, peace and progress of the Kumasi Metropolis”.
He told Manhyia that he appreciates his relationship with Nananom, pledging to take all necessary traditional steps to repair and protect that relationship which has gone bad, at least for now.
On Monday, July 4, 2016, Manhyia Palace severed ties with Kojo Bonsu for disrespecting Otumfour Osei Tutu, the Overlord of Asanteman.
This website was reliably informed that Asanteman, in demonstrating its level of annoyance over the lack of respect for the Great King on Thursday slaughtered a sheep and summoned the KMA Boss to appear before Asanteman to answer certain queries brought against him.
The action taken against Mr. Bonsu was sparked by his unilaterally removal of Chief of Amoaman, Nana Agyenim Boateng, who is Otumfour’s representative on the board of the Kajetia Market project which is currently under construction without informing the king about his action.
Otumfour nominated the chief to represent him after issues of corruption and embezzlement of funds was leveled against Kojo Bonsu.
The project has become a centre of controversy in recent times with a group of Assemblymen led by former Presiding Member Nana Kofi Senya, issuing a one week ultimatum to Kojo Bonsu a fortnight ago to resign for allegedly inflating prices of shops in the yet-to-be completed Project and for showing what they termed ‘gross disrespect” to the Asantehene.
The group alleged among other things that Mr. Bonsu has unilaterally increased prices of the shops from an initially agreed GH₵1500 to GH₵ 25,000 each. But the Public Relations Manager of the KMA, Godwin Okumah Nyame has denied the allegations.
But when a gathering of Chiefs had gathered at the Palace in wait of the KMA Boss last Monday, he (Kojo Bonsu) failed to turn up.
Ultimate FM’s Justice Isaac Bediako in an interview with Kasapa News stated that instead, the Ashanti Regional Minister John Alexander Ackon appeared before the chiefs and then sought to apologize on behalf of Kojo Bonsu for his absence and the earlier actions he took.
However, the Chiefs who didn’t take kindly to Kojo Bonsu’s lack of respect for them and told the minister they will not accept the apology.
“They urged the Minister to tell President John Mahama that they’ve had enough of Kojo Bonsu’s lack of respect for them and that he (President Mahama) should immediately nominate another KMA Chief Executive to replace Kojo Bonsu as they could not work with him anymore,” Bediako noted.
