Misunderstanding and division amongst chiefs who make up the Ahanta Traditional Council (ATC) appears to be the major cause of the chieftaincy dispute that has rocked the Traditional Area following the demise of the Overlord, Otumfuo Baidoe Bonsoe XV.
The front of the chiefs are so divided to the extent that despite the overwhelming endorsement and appointment of Nana Eziaku IV, chief of Agona as acting president of the Traditional council, there are still pockets of chiefs that do not to recognise him.
This is evident in a recent meeting held by a faction from one of the camps at Busua, the traditional seat of the stool, to the extent of appointing and selecting Standing Committee (SC) members for the Council.
Information available to The Chronicle indicates that the said meeting was held on the 19th of April, 2024 where members of the SC were appointed.
The said meeting was chaired by Nana Kofi Etsin, chief of Ahanta Aboade and was attended by other members.
The new SC members are Nana Kofi Etsin, Nana Engodzi Essoun, chief of Kwesimntsim and five other members.
Registrar of the Traditional Council, Justice Arhin Mensah, confirmed the said meeting in a telephone interview with this paper.
According to him, he was instructed by one third of the chiefs to call for the meeting.
Relying on Act 15 (2) of the Chieftaincy Act 2008, he wrote to all members of the Council, including Nana Eziaku IV, calling for the said meeting.
However, the Registrar told this reporter that the latter did not attend the meeting.
The meeting in question, he indicated to this reporter, was chaired by Nana Etsin Kofi. That was after those present at the meeting nominated him to chair the meeting.
Registrar Arhin also confirmed that a new Standing Committee was constituted by the meeting.
Asked if the newly constituted Standing Committee members work would not counter the already standing committee constituted by Nana Eziaku, the acting president of the Traditional Council, Registrar Arhin answered in the negative. He explained that so far as he was concerned, there was no record that Nana Eziaku IV had constituted standing committee members.
Nana Etsin Kofi, chief of Aboade, also confirmed to this reporter about the said meeting and the newly constituted SC members.
He explained that it was important to constitute a new standing committee because the last appointment was in 2022 and their tenure of office had expired.
Nana Etsin Kofi also denied Nana Eziaku had appointed SC members when he assumed office as acting president.
According to him, Nana Eziaku was not recognised as Acting President “and that if he feels betrayed, he should go to court”.
Responding, Nana Eziaku IV confirmed to this reporter in a telephone interview that he declined to partake in the meeting for the reason that he, as acting president, did not call for the said meeting.
To him, based on dictates of the Chieftaincy Act, he is the acting president and most senior chief, clothed with power and authority to call for the said meeting.
Nana Eziaku further told this reporter that when he received the said invitation letter from the Registrar, he responded in a strongly worded letter, reminding the Registrar that he, Tufuhene and the senior chief, had not called for any meeting of the Council.
For this reason, any purported invitation issued by the Registrar was without any authorization or merit hence should be disregarded.
In the meantime, Nana Eziaku indicated that he was in consultation to take the appropriate steps to bring sanity to the operations of the Ahanta Traditional Council.
In a related development, some chiefs in the Ahanta have taken a swipe at the chieftaincy Minister, Asamoah Boateng for re-assigning Justice Arhin Mensah as Registrar of the Ahanta Traditional Council.
The chiefs believe the reappointment of Justice Arhin Mensah as Registrar of the traditional area is a betrayal of an earlier petition sent to the chieftaincy Ministry for the latter to be transferred.
The petition in question, which is in possession of this reporter is dated August 1, 2023.
It was under the headlined “Petition For the Appointment Of a New Registrar For Ahanta Traditional Council”.
It was signed by Nana Eziaku IV, Nana Kofi Amoo, Senior Gyasehene and chief of Egyambra, Nana Egya Kwamina XI, Nsafoahene and Divisional chief of Apremdo, Nana Ewiamenle V, Benkumhene and chief of Akwidaa and Nana Nda Akyemfo, Gyasehene and Divisional chief of Sakor.
In the petition, the chiefs gave reasons for calling for the removal of the embattled Justice Arhin Mensah as the substantive Registrar of the Council.
“This petition is as a result of various misconducts by the Registrar to members of the council, regardless of various reprimands from Nananom”.
The petition stated that at the council last general meeting, members unanimously elected Nana Eziaku to preside over traditional council meeting and perform other statutory functions and activities as enshrined by law.
However, “our attention has been drawn to the fact that the Registrar, who was present during the appointment of Nana Eziaku as acting president, does not recognize him as such let alone taking instructions from him”.
This rift, according to the petitioners, was adversely affecting the operations of the office and heightening tension in the already disarrayed office.
“This is indeed worrisome, which can best be solved when our petition is given a favourite response”.
What is more, the petitioners also accused the embattled Registrar of disrespecting the views and opinions of the chiefs. “The Registrar does not respect the views, opinions and decisions taken by the Nananom, though he knows he is obliged by the latter’s instructions.
“His actions and decisions in relation to the office are not guided by law. In fact, he has no respect for the very people he is working for. Without mincing words, we have lost confidence in him and do not recognise him as our Registrar.
“He is not competent enough to man the Traditional Council hence we call on your good office to replace him with a very competent and honest officer for a better and peaceful administration of the Council”.
CHIEFTAINCY MINISTRY
Despite the aforementioned petition calling on the Ministry to replace the embattled Registrar, the Ministry rather reassigned him to the same Ahanta Traditional Council.
This has infuriated the chiefs and people of Ahanta, who feel betrayed by the Ministry of Chieftaincy.
Just last week for instance, the Asafo group at Busua took to the streets and demonstrated over the re-appointment of Arhin Mensah as Registrar.
The Asafo group, clad in red bands accused the Registrar for being the brain behind the many disputes, most especially the recent one that has to do with who is the acting president.
Nana Egya Kwamina XI, Divisional chief of Apremdo told this reporter in a telephone interview that the chiefs are not happy with the chieftaincy Ministry’s decision to reappoint Arhin Mensah as Registrar for the Council.
According to him, there were no way chiefs who make up the traditional area could work with the Registrar.
The chieftaincy Minister, he indicated, should be blamed for anything that happens in the traditional area for reappointing Arhin Mensah as Registrar for the Traditional Council.
Justice Arhin Mensah has, meanwhile, confirmed to this reporter in another telephone interview that he has been reassigned as Registrar for the Traditional Council.
