Western Region House of Chiefs
admits two chiefs
Kumasi (Ashanti
Region) 30 October 2002- The Standing Committee of the Asanteman Council, has
recommended the reinstatement of six chiefs including Nana Boakye-Asiamah I,
Akrodiehene, the Queenmother and divisional chiefs who were unconstitutionally
destooled in the heat of the Akrodie stool affairs.
A statement signed by
K.S. Opoku, Acting Secretary of the Asanteman Standing Committee in Kumasi said
this followed the acceptance of the recommendations of the committee appointed
by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to settle the Akrodie stool affairs at
a meeting held on 15 October 2002. Daasebre Osei Bonsu II, Mamponghene, chaired
the committee.
The committee
recommended that Nana Boakye-Asiamah, Omanhene of Akrodie should be allowed to
visit the town as frequently as possible to enable him to perform his
chieftaincy and customary rites.
It recommended that
the elders, youth and people of Akrodie should co-operate to ensure peace and
stability at Akrodie since the people by their various petitions to the
Asantehene, stressed the urgent need for peaceful and amicable resettlement of
the exiled chief.
The committee further
recommended that the Akrodie State be held responsible for the destruction of
the Omanhene's property and development projects and that they should
co-operate with him to ensure a rapid socio-economic development of Akrodie.
"We recommend the
state's assistance to rebuild rather than provide compensation. We recommend
that all individuals at Akrodie who have suffered physical disabilities as a
result of the "riots" at Akrodie to be sought out and
compensated."
The compensation, the
committee recommended, was to be borne by the stool and the Traditional Council
and it should be made a necessary and sufficient condition for a workable
settlement that would bring about peace in the area.
It said the Asanteman
Standing Committee had mandated Nana Oduro Numapau II, Essumejahene, to present
the decision of the committee to the Asantehene and the Asanteman Council.
A faction of the
people of Akrodie in the Brong-Ahafo Region rose against Nana Boakye-Asiamah
while he was out of the country in 1996, resulting in the destruction of his
house, 32 estate houses, a community centre and a hotel he built for the
community. Notwithstanding all the destruction, Nana Boakye-Asiamah said he
would rebuild all and initiate new development projects for his people.
GRi…/
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Sekondi (Western
Region) 30 October 2002- An Anglican Priest turned chief, Osagyefo
Kwamina Ennimil V1,
Omanhene of Wassa Fiase Traditional Area, has been formally admitted to the
Western Region House of Chiefs at Sekondi.
Known in private life
as Reverend Chico Morgan, Anglican priest in charge of Dunkwa, Osagyefo Ennimil
became Omanhene of the area in April, this year. After his introduction to the
house, Osagyefo Ennimil was taken to the shrine of the house where libation was
poured to signify his customary admission into the house.
Awulae Agyefi Kwame
11, Omanhene of Nsein Traditional Area, appealed to the new Omanhene to use the
experience he acquired in his priesthood to unite his people and mobilise them
for the development of his area.
"As an Omanhene
you have a Herculean task and responsibility in playing a valuable leadership
role that would benefit your area, Western Region and Ghana as a whole."
Owulae Kwame expressed regret that some Christian churches regarded the
chieftaincy institution as a collection of pagans and urged the new Omanhene to
help erase that misconception.
In response, Osagyefo
Ennimil promised to abide by the pieces of advice given him and said he would
use his 24 years experience in the priesthood to unite his people and help to
settle all chieftaincy disputes in the area to ensure absolute peace.
''Chieftaincy did not
start today. There had been many Christians in the Bible who were made Kings. I
would help to improve the image of chieftaincy to make it development-oriented
as well as to help erase the wrong perception some people have about
chiefs". At the same function, the Omanhene of Sefwi Chiraano, Okogyeman
Kweku Gyampra 111, was also introduced and admitted into the house.
GRi…/
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