Otumfuo explains why Ex-President Kufuor sits in wheelchair

The Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has said, former President John Agyekum Kufuor prioritized his love for Ghana over his health during his 8 years reign as the President of Ghana.

Speaking at a dinner in Ransford in the United Kingdom (UK) Otumfuo blamed ex- President Kufuor for not prioritizing his health after surviving an accident on his way to the Castle [the then Seat of Government] and failed to seek for him self proper treatment.

“He cannot walk and I said to him that it was his own fault. He had an accident on his way to the Castle, he was safe and went to the 37 military hospital and returned to the Presidency to work. I called him from Kumasi and he said I’m in the office and I asked what are you doing there, Ofa? and he said I’m okey, nothing happened to me I’m fine and I told him Ofa you better go home and rest. And I told him Ghana will still be there if you die. But he stayed in the office till 4pm before he let the office. This is the amount of sacrifice he had for Ghana” Otumfuo disclosed.

On November 14, 2007, former Ghanaian President John Agyekum Kufuor, also then Chairman of the African Union, escaped unhurt when a private car crashed into his vehicle, rolling it over several times.

‘The car finally rested on the sidewalk and the people around helped his security men to pull him out. The president came out holding his head’, an eyewitness said.

At the Opeibea House traffic light intersection on the Airport-37 Military Hospital road, a man driving a Mercedes Benz drove straight into Kufuor’s vehicle, disregarding the presidential convoy’s siren.

Four counts of dangerous driving, negligently causing harm, driving while intoxicated, and failing to yield to the presidential convoy were brought against the man who caused the accident before an Accra Motor Court.

Investigations further revealed that the accused was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident, and when tested with an Alco Sensor III, his alcohol level read 0.41% instead of the legal limit of 0.08%.

It was alleged that the accused person admitted to taking at least one bottle of alcoholic beverage before the incident.