The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II is urging political parties and presidential candidates in Election 2024 to address the seeming apathy among Ghanaians to vote, fueled by the prevailing economic quagmire befalling the country. 

His remarks follow revelations by Independent Presidential Candidate, Alan Kyerematen of the Movement for Change Alliance, that some Ghanaians are unwilling to hit the polls on December 7. 

He explained his survey of the voting populace in Ghana revealed a significant number of the electorates are reluctant to vote, premised on the economic hardships they continue to endure under successive governments. 

“When you tour the country, eight or seven out of ten people say they are not ready to vote. All they are saying is that if only NPP and NDC are the only ones to rule the country, there’s nothing good that can come out of it. Since these two parties took over, the people were hoping the country could turn around but our economy now isn’t any better,” he said.  

Responding to what he describes as disturbing, the Asantehene urged political parties including Mr. Kyerematen to explicitly tout their policies and ensure the implementation of the same to restore hope in Ghanaians. 

“From what he is saying, I am hoping the political parties could listen and know what the people are enduring. If seven out of ten people are unwilling to vote, then people’s faith in political parties is waning. I’m hoping these presidential candidates and parties would sell their policies and ensure their implementation when voted into power,” he said.  

The Movement for Change Caravan Tour made its stop in the Ashanti region with leaders and members of the movement first paying a courtesy call on the Asantehene. 

Flanked by sympathizers of the alliance, the Presidential Candidate, Alan Kyerematen with his running mate officially informed the Asantehene of his intent to contest the Presidential election, in a quest to end the NPP-NDC duopoly.  

Mr. Kyerematen handed to Asantehene his Great Transformational Plan, which spells out his policies to revitalize the country’s social and economic development. 

According to Mr. Kyerematen, his government, if voted into power, will prioritize the inclusion of traditional rulers in governance for the cohesive transformation of the country. 

“We have pushed aside chiefs out of local government but. Governments will come and go but the chieftaincy system is a permanent institution. We must relook at this and ensure the inclusion of traditional leaders in governance,” he said.  

Alan Kyerematen is in the Ashanti Region for an eighteen-day tour across the forty-seven constituencies in the region. 

He is expected to visit over 350 communities in these constituencies to court public support ahead of the December polls.