Odeneho Kwasi Peprah II, the Ayanfurihene, has raised concerns over the delay in police investigations into non-payment of Ayanfuri stool share of mineral royals over the years.
Following a petition to the Inspector-General of Police in November, last year, the Central North Regional Police Command at Assin Fosu was ordered to investigate allegations of malfeasance in the collection and disbursement of Ayanfuri Stool mineral royalties.
The Ayanfurihene was to assist the Central North Regional Police Command with the investigations, as directed, but he claims he has since not been invited to assist in the investigations, let alone issuing a report.
As a result, the chief has lodged a complaint with the IGP, that the Central North Regional Police Command is not cooperative and that his actions are suspicious, as he (Regional Commander) is seeking to dissuade him (chief) from filing criminal action and launch a civil action.
The Chronicle could, however, not independently confirm this allegation against the regional police commander.
The chief believes the Police chief accused of bias intends to assist the suspects to escape criminal prosecution.
Nana Peprah noted that as a cardinal principle, a good judge must decline to sit on a case if there is a trace of suspicion of bias for which conduct he must not be allowed to investigate the case.
The petitioner has, therefore, appealed to the IGP to call for the case docket and appoint an additional Senior Police officer to conduct the investigation to ensure justice.
The directive for the said probe last November followed a reminder to a petition to the IGP by the Ayanfurihene in October 2024.
In January 2024, Odeneho Kwasi Peprah petitioned the IGP to cause criminal investigations into the non-payment of the 25% share of mineral royalties due the Ayanfuri Stool and said to have been collected by the Administrator of Stool Lands.
The Ayanfurihene had in June 2024 also petitioned the Minister for Chieftaincy Affairs, alleging that the Regional Officer of the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands, in Cape Coast, had under suspicious circumstances not paid such royalties to the Ayanfuri stool.
The Minister was also told that some officials of the Central Regional House of Chiefs had allegedly conspired with the Regional officer of the Administrator of Stool Lands to submit a ghost name to the National House of Chiefs, as the Chief of Ayanfuri, with the intent to access the 25% share of the mineral royalties for the Ayanfuri stool over the past six years.
The Petitioner said the Regional Officer of the Administrator of Stool Lands is suspicious of the offence, which should not be swept under the carpet, hence the call for investigations to ensure justice in the Chieftaincy institution.
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, by a copy of the petition, has also been requested to examine the conduct of the Regional officer of the Administrator of Stool Lands in Cape Coast.
The chief of Ayanfuri has since September 2023 raised suspicion of malfeasance in collection, disbursement of mineral royalties by the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands.
As a result, the chief in a petition requested the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands to furnish him with a statement of accounts of all revenue accrued from mining operations of Perseus Mining Company at Ayanfuri.
The chief has also demanded the Ayanfuri Stool share of the accumulated mineral royalties to enable him embark on development projects for the community to no avail in spite of several reminders, which the Ayanfuri sees as a breach of the Right to Information Act.
He said the inability of The Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands to furnish him with a statement of accounts of all revenue accrued from mining operations of Perseus Mining Company raises serious suspicions of malfeasance in the collection and disbursement of mineral royalties and that the statement of accounts and subsequent payment of the royalties would prove the honesty and Integrity of the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands or otherwise.
