Residents of Somanya, Odumase mob GUM leader as he pays courtesy call on Krobo chiefs

Hundreds of enthusiastic residents of Yilo Krobo, Lower Manya Krobo, and the Asuogyaman constituencies in the Eastern Region gave a peek into what possible electoral fortunes await the founder and leader of the Ghana Union Movement, Christian Kwabena Andrews popularly known as Osofo Kyiriabosom as they mobbed him throughout his appearance in the town.

The visit which was intended to be a private courtesy call on chiefs in the Yilo Krobo, Manya Krobo, and the Akwamu Traditional Areas turned into a carnival with enthusiastic residents, fans, and supporters of the party lining the streets and the various palaces to express their support and love for Osofo Kyiriabosom and his GUM.

In what hysterically turned out to be a rally, large crowds of excited party supporters and residents, who danced to loud music thronged the forecourts of the respective Palaces to listen to the party’s founder.

The leader of the Movement together with national, regional, and constituency executives of the Ghana Union Movement paid separate courtesy calls on the Paramount Chief of the Yilo Krobo Traditional Area, the Overlord of the Manya Krobo Traditional Area, the five Divisional Chiefs of the Manya Krobo Traditional Area and the Akwamuhene of the Akwamu Traditional Area.

The team first made a familiarization tour of the various facilities of the newly commissioned the University Of Environment and Sustainable Development at Trom near Somanya.

At Somanya, the founder and his entourage were hosted by the Senior Divisional Chief of the Yilo Krobo Traditional Area, Nene Amoatey Akpatsu Azza IV on behalf of the Paramount Chief, Oklepeme Nuer Anorbaa Sasraku II at his Sra Palace.

The chief who did not hide his admiration for the new party and its leader said the time to try a different party was now and urged his people to give the mantle of leadership to the GUM after the two major political powers.

“We have tried NPP, we have tried NDC, I’ll plead with you to allow us to try GUM now,” he said to wild cheers from residents who had gathered in front of the palace.

He bemoaned the lack of development from politicians who are voted into power and urged the GUM leader not to turn his back on the people if elected into power in December 2020.

He also applauded his resolve to reinstate chiefs and men of God to national leadership if given the chance.

At the Palace of the Konor of the Manya Krobo Traditional Area at Odumase-Krobo, the Konor and Overlord of the Traditional Area, Nene Sakite II lauded the ideas of the Ghana Union Movement, adding that the party would be of great need to the country.

Nene Sakite II who recounted the roles played by chiefs in the establishment of various communities around the world said this meant chiefs were privy to the plight of the people.

He urged politicians to ensure that they use election campaigns to access the needs of the people to enable them address them when they come into power.

The GUM founder and his executives later met with the five Divisional Chiefs of the Manya Krobo Traditional Area including the Divisional Chief of Piengua, Nene Tetteh Zogli III, Nene Asare Odonkor II, Divisional Chief of Akwenor, Nene Owuadjao Angmor II, Divisional Chief of Suisi, Nene Bediako Muala III, Divisional Chief of Dorm and Divisional Chief of Manya, Nene Okpatakpla Sasraku IV together with other Chiefs at Kpongunor.

The chiefs warmly welcomed them, reposed their confidence in Osofo Kyiriabosom and the GUM party, and pledged their unflinching support for their cause as he was coming from a unique position.

The chiefs were particularly excited with the number of Krobos holding executive positions in the party, noting that this would open a lot of opportunities for Kroboland.

The divisional chiefs who decried the “one-way” voting pattern in the Krobo area for the past 28 years urged Andrews to draw closer to the chiefs as they would support him since he has a lot of development in mind for the Krobo people.

The party rounded its tour with a visit to the Akwamuhene of the Akwamu Traditional Area, Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III.

Mr. Christian Kwabena Andrews said the NDC and NPP who had had the majority of Ghana’s fourth republic had failed to provide the country with its needed glory.

He said though education won’t be wholly free under a GUM government, job creation and its availability would be prioritized to ensure that all school graduates are duly employed.

“We shall bring education which will not be free but they (students) will attend the school and will be thereafter duly employed so that at the end of the month, they will receive some money for their upkeep,” he said.

The acclaimed man of God who said the vision of the Ghana Union Movement is to provide jobs for Ghanaians noted that a lot of factories will be established under his government.

“You should all understand that the coming of GUM is to provide lots of job opportunities for Ghanaians where many factories including rice factory, sugar factory, tomato factory and cement factory here (Odumase Krobo) because you have a lot of raw materials here, would be established,” he said to rapturous applause from the supporters.

He promised to institute an old-age benefit under his leadership where all working Ghanaians both in the public and private, formal, and informal sector would enjoy some sustainable benefits when they retire from their respective jobs.

On his part, Parliamentary Candidate of the Ghana Union Movement in Lower Manya Krobo, Daniel Ofoe who was impressed with the “massive” support the party received from residents was confident that the GUM was destined to win the 2020 presidential elections with him being declared as Member of Parliament for the area.

Parliamentary Candidate for the party in the Upper Manya Krobo Constituency, Nicholas Tetteh urged Krobos to shun the NDC and NPP dominance in Ghanaian politics and rally their support behind the GUM party to realize its mission of massive job creation for the people.

He maintains that supporters of the two main political parties were not bound to the NDC and NPP, adding that members are thus free to defect to the GUM.

Eastern Regional Women’s Organizer of the party, Miss Ruth Kosi Kwasi expressed regret over the apparent lack of opportunities for women where most young women had to endure the ‘sex for a job’ phenomenon to get employed and said a time is coming under the GUM government where women would have equal opportunities.

She called on women to lend their support to the party as it would create lots of benefits for them when the party assumes power in January 2021.

The founder also used his visit to introduce the party’s Various Parliamentary Candidates in Yilo Krobo, Lower Manya Krobo, Upper Manya Krobo, and the Asuogyaman constituencies to the chiefs who gave them their blessings.