A wave of apprehension is sweeping through the ranks of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ashanti Region as the rising popularity of the young Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, continues to gain momentum, particularly among the youth.
Dr. Amoakohene has earned widespread respect for his leadership style and proactive approach to governance, most notably in his handling of the recent Kumasi Adum Railway Market fire disaster.
The incident, which destroyed goods and structures worth millions of cedis, was met with swift and strategic response from the minister.
His frequent visits to the site and timely updates mobilized support from philanthropists and the private sector, resulting in significant donations toward the redevelopment of the market area.
Before the dust could settle on the tragedy, Dr. Amoakohene launched the Ashanti Festival popularly known as AshantiFest an initiative aimed at promoting sports, entertainment, culture, and the revival of the once-vibrant Kumawood film industry.
Traditionally, Easter in Ashanti is marked by religious conventions and gatherings to commemorate the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
However, this year, the minister added a cultural and business dimension to the festivities by rolling out a month-long celebration designed to boost regional unity and economic activity.
The festival, free of partisan politics, was developed within a month and has since attracted strong participation from communities across the region.
It is being praised for elevating Ashanti culture, tradition, and entrepreneurship drawing attention from the youth and business community alike.
However, this surge in popularity has unsettled some members of the opposition NPP in their stronghold.
Party loyalists fear that Dr. Amoakohene’s growing influence and innovative ideas may threaten the party’s dominance in the region, especially as young people rally around his leadership.
The minister has also come under verbal attack from some NPP supporters for his active social media presence, which they claim is unbecoming of a regional minister. But Dr. Amoakohene has dismissed such criticism.
In an interview with Kumasimail.com, he said: “I’m a social media person. I can’t stop using the platform because I’m leveraging it to promote the Ashanti Region. The AshantiFest has proven my critics wrong. My focus is to use social media to market Ashanti devoid of politics. Ashanti has numerous tourist sites, and I’m using digital platforms to attract investors. That’s my mandate” he told Kumasi Mail editor Isaac Bediako.
Just under three months into his tenure, Dr. Amoakohene has become a household name, largely due to his inclusive leadership approach and youth engagement efforts, a development that is reportedly causing discomfort within the NPP hierarchy.
Some notable NPP members have reacted to the growing popularity of the minister. Raphael Patrick Sarfo, the NPP’s Ashanti Regional Youth Organizer, downplayed the minister’s achievements on Facebook, writing: “This is not new in Ashanti. He’s just added social media. What’s next after the excursion?”
Public reaction has been mixed, with many including NPP supporters drawing comparisons between Dr. Amoakohene’s impact within a short period and the eight-year tenure of his predecessor, Simon Osei Mensah, under the Akufo-Addo administration.
While some critics argue that the former regional minister failed to leave a significant mark, others, including Sarfo, have defended him.
In another Facebook post, Sarfo stated, “Simon Osei Mensah lobbied for over 49 ambulances for the Ashanti Region under the NPP despite the lack of media media hype.”
The ongoing comparisons and rising support for Dr. Amoakohene suggest a shifting political tide in the Ashanti Region long considered the NPP’s electoral stronghold.
The developments indicate that continued loyalty to any political party will be contingent on tangible results and the ability to meet the economic and developmental needs of the people.
Source: www.kumasimail.com / Isaac Bediako
