Tension in Akyem Asene over police deployment of over 100 heavily armed personnel

Tension is mounting at Akyem Asene near Oda following the deployment  of 125 heavily armed police personnel in the town on Saturday to maintain law and order even though there is no conflict in the community warranting such heavy police presence.

The police personnel deployed from Oda, Asamankese and Kyebi with more than 10 vehicles and about 20 motorbikes, were detailed at the Asene durbar ground, around the palace, the residence of the new queen mother and the principal streets of the town.

When Graphic Online's Samuel Kyei-Boateng contacted the Oda Municipal Police Commander, Chief Supt Mr Daniel Amoako, a co-leader of the troops, he refused to comment and referred reporters to the National Police Headquarters for details of the deployment of the personnel.

Attempts to get an officer at the Police Headquarters for details about the deployment of the police personnel proved futile.

When the Abakomahene of Asene, Nana Kodua Asiedu, who is also the Acting Adontenhene of the Akyem Kotoku Traditional Area was contacted, he blamed the destooled Asenehene, Nana Karikari Apau for making false and unfounded allegation to the police hence the deployment of the troops.

He said some prominent chiefs of the Akyem Kotoku Traditional Area were invited to the Oda Divisional Police Headquarters for deliberations on the out-dooring of the new queen mother of Asene, Nana Agyeiwaa Agyekumwaa, which was to take place at Asene on Saturday.

Nana Asiedu said at the meeting at Oda, the Divisional Police Command advised the chiefs to postpone the out-dooring ceremony as the police could not get enough personnel to provide security for the event and they consented to the police directive.

He added that the chiefs later contacted the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Asene-Manso-Akroso, Mr Alex Incoom, who also urged them to postpone the event.

According to Nana Asiedu, the DCE further told the chiefs that he and the other members of the District Security Committee (DISEC) would hold a meeting with them on Wednesday, January 10, 2024 to fix a new date for the out-dooring ceremony and they obliged.

He stressed that even though the out-dooring event had been postponed on the advice of the police and DISEC, a huge number of heavily armed police personnel was deployed in the town on Saturday.