The Inspector-General of Police has ordered the Central North Regional Police Command at Assin Fosu to investigate allegations of malfeasance in the collection and disbursement of Ayanfuri Stool mineral royalties.
By the directive, Odeneho Kwasi Peprah II, the Ayanfurihene, would assist the Command with the investigations, a letter dated October 16, 2024 and signed by Chief Superintendent of Police, Kudjo Aboagye, Chief Staff Officer at the Police Headquarters indicated.
The said probe follows a reminder to a petition to the IGP by the Ayanfurihene in October this year.
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 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.
The said petitions previously had been copied to Administrator of Stool Lands, President and Registrar of the National House of Chiefs, Acting President of the Denkyira Traditional Council, the Divisional Police Commander, Dunkwa and the District Chief Executive of Upper Denkyira West Assembly.
