BY DANIEL BAMPOE
New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has paid a courtesy call on the Asantehemaa, Nana Yaa Akyaa II, at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, using the visit to congratulate her on her enstoolment and seek her blessings as he prepares to lead the party into the 2028 presidential election.
Dr Bawumia visited the Manhyia Palace on Thursday, September 17, 2026, where he was received by the Asantehemaa as part of his engagement with the traditional leadership of the Ashanti Kingdom.
The visit provided an opportunity for the NPP flagbearer to formally congratulate Nana Yaa Akyaa II on her enstoolment and to acknowledge the significance of her elevation to one of the most revered traditional positions in the Asante Kingdom.
During the meeting, Dr Bawumia also presented his political and national leadership aspirations to the Asantehemaa and requested her blessings towards his vision for the presidency.
The engagement comes as Dr Bawumia continues his preparations for the 2028 general elections, having secured the NPP’s presidential nomination to lead the party in its attempt to return to power.
His visit to Manhyia also underscores the role of traditional authorities in Ghana’s political and social life. While chiefs do not participate directly in partisan politics, political leaders regularly engage them on matters relating to national development, peace, culture and community welfare.
Dr Bawumia was accompanied by a large delegation comprising more than 30 Members of Parliament, NPP executives, founding members, former Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), and party supporters.
Among the prominent members of the delegation were former Suame MP and former Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Bantama MP Francis Asenso-Boakye, Deputy Minority Leader Patricia Appiagyei and Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament Andrew Amoako Asiama.
The presence of the senior party figures and lawmakers highlighted the significance attached to the visit as the NPP continues its internal mobilisation and preparations for the next presidential and parliamentary elections.
Dr Bawumia’s engagement with the Asantehemaa forms part of a broader series of consultations and outreach activities he has undertaken since becoming the NPP’s flagbearer. He has been meeting traditional leaders, religious bodies, professional associations, organised groups and other stakeholders as he seeks to deepen engagement and gather perspectives on issues affecting the country.
The former Vice President has in recent weeks held discussions with professional groups including engineers, traders, agricultural stakeholders, young doctors and medical students as part of a policy dialogue process.
Those engagements have focused on issues ranging from infrastructure, urban transportation and public procurement to agriculture, food security, healthcare, trade and the cost of doing business.
The Manhyia visit, however, carried a distinctly traditional dimension, with Dr Bawumia combining his congratulations to the newly enstooled Asantehemaa with a request for her blessings as he pursues his presidential ambitions.
