Apatrapa residents call on Manhyia, KMA to intervene
Some residents of Apatrapa, a suburb of Kumasi, are calling on the Asantehene and the Manhyia Palace to intervene in what they term the "illegal activity" going on at the Apatrapa Old Cemetery.
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They are also calling on authorities of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) to halt the "illegal activity" taking place at the cemetery.
A spokesperson for the aggrieved residents, Osei Ahenkora, alleged that the Obaapanin of Apatrapa, Oheneba Akyaa Panin III, had developed about half a plot of the Apatrapa Old Cemetery for her personal business interest without the knowledge of the Apatrapa Traditional Authority.
He further alleged that checks made by the aggrieved residents showed that Obaapanin Akyaa had forcibly removed about 10 tombs at the cemetery to develop the place either for the establishment of a fuel station or sold the land for a building project.
He said at midnight on Monday, February 24, 2014, Obaapanin Akyaa developed the said portion of the old cemetery without informing the assembly member, traditional authorities and elders of the Apatrapa stool.
He added that apart from her failure to inform the traditional authority, she failed also to get the approval of the KMA to undertake the said exercise.
The assembly member for the Apatrapa Electoral Area, George Owusu Ansah, told the Daily Graphic that when he saw the development going on at the cemetery, he confronted the Obaapanin on the matter, and that he was working closely with the KMA to find a lasting solution to the matter.
When contacted, Obaapanin Akyaa confirmed the developments at the old cemetery but denied using it for her personal business.
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She opined that there had been reported robbery incidents at the cemetery area in recent times and that creating the empty space would make it difficult for robbers to operate in the area at night.