Royal Clan petitions minister to execute rulings in chieftaincy case
The Royal Akua Korang Abrade-Akwamu Clan of Asamankese in the Eastern Region has petitioned the Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs to intervene in what they describe as a long-standing and unresolved chieftaincy dispute that has derailed development in the West Akyem Municipality for nearly a decade.
In a letter addressed to the Minister, the petitioners, led by Abusuapanin Kwesi Asare of the Akua Korang Akwamu Abrade Royal Clan, said that despite favourable rulings from the Koforidua High Court, the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs, and the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council’s Judicial Committee at Kyebi, those judgments had not been enforced.
Petition
According to the petition, the legal and customary processes affirmed the royal lineage of the Akua Korang Abrade family, paving the way for the nomination and installation of their candidate, Nana S. K. Boadu, formerly chief of Aworasa.
He was subsequently enstooled as Osabarima Ateabisa Kentinka Pobi Asomaning, the Divisional Chief of Asamankese within the Akyem Abuakwa State.
The family explained that following his installation, all customary rites and rituals were duly performed before he was ushered into the palace. However, they alleged that national security operatives later removed him and his supporters from the palace, paving the way for a rival claimant, who had lost in all the adjudicating bodies, to continue parading himself as the legitimate Osabarima of Asamankese.
The petitioners contend that this act undermines both the authority of Ghana’s courts and the legitimacy of traditional councils, and has prolonged a conflict that has already weakened community cohesion and slowed development at Asamankese.
“Our family presented many petitions to the immediate past political administration to ensure that all the judgments are executed by the bodies which passed them, but these fell on deaf ears,” the petition read.
Ultimatum
The group further expressed concern over rising tensions among the youth in their family and the wider community, warning of dire security consequences if the matter remains unresolved.
They, therefore, gave the current administration under President John Dramani Mahama a three-month window to ensure the enforcement of the judgments, stressing that failure to act could trigger violence and instability in the area.
“As a Royal family, we cannot wait to see the youth visiting Asamankese residents with violence, mayhem and the destruction of lives and properties; hence we kindly call on you to bring parties to order and ask all the Judicial bodies which gave judgments in our family’s favour to execute these judgments,” the letter urged.
Test
The petitioners described the Asamankese case as a test of the government’s commitment to resetting Ghana and strengthening the chieftaincy institution as a pillar of stability and local governance.
They appealed to the minister to treat the matter with urgency to restore peace and tranquillity in the community.
Copies of the petition have also been sent to the President, the Attorney-General, the Minister for Interior, the Chief Justice, the Council of State, the Inspector-General of Police, the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs and the Eastern Regional Minister.
