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Wassa Fiase Omanhene wants gov’t to be more proactive

botchway January 23, 2019


By Bernice Bessey              .

The Paramount Chief of Wassa Fiase Traditional Area in the Western Region, Odeneho Akrofa Krukok II, has called on the President and Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Samuel Kofi Ahiave Dzamesi, to ensure court rulings on chieftaincy cases are enforced.

According to him, if the government and its machinery do not safeguard court decisions so that there are respected, it might lead to catastrophic situations, which would disable the peace the country prides itself with.

He said the worst thing to happen to any country, is for its people to disrespect and trample upon the very laws and institutions that protect their fundamental human rights and provide security.

Using himself as an example, he indicated that received court rulings in his favour directing the Western Regional House of Chiefs to reinstate his name as a gazetted chief into their register, but since 2002 that has not been respected.

The Waasa Fiase Omanhene made the call when he engaged journalists at his palace at Benso in the traditional area last Thursday, January 17, 2019.

The Wassamanhene said he was installed in 1994, gazetted in 1996, and had performed all the necessary traditions, including exchanging oaths of allegiance with the sub-chiefs.

The Paramount Chief, however, recounted his 14 days encapsulation and following events: “I was jailed on Monday; Tuesday another chief, who is my grandson, was installed and gazetted on Wednesday.

“They (opposition) further went round spreading the rumours that I was dead. I sent someone to go and check my name in the Regional House of Chiefs’ register, and it was found out that a piece of paper has been pasted on my name. I want that paper removed.”

This confusion, he said, had affected the development of the area dearly, to a point that no government recognises or to pays him and his elders homage whenever they visit.

Meanwhile, the traditional area is bedevilled with poor road networks, school structures and hospital and massive youth unemployment.

Being specific with unemployment, he indicated that in the community, since the ban on illegal mining, most of the youth had been rendered jobless, so wanted the government to consider reviving defunct factories in the area as part of the One District, One Factory policy.

He mentioned defunct factories such as a gold refinery, Bonsa Tyres and Aboso Glass Factory, which can effectively be re-put to use to create jobs for the youth.

The youth also pleaded with the government to ensure that all obstacles impeding their progress, especially chieftaincy disputes and police harassment, are removed or settled for the peace and development of the area.

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