The Coalition of Youth Associations in Akyem Nsutam has called on the Chief of the town, Osabarima Sarpong Kumankumah, to reject the so-called settlement of the boundary dispute between them and the Chief of Bunso, Osabarima Brakatu Aninkra, brokered by the Okyehene, Osagyefo Amoatia, based on a purported judgement on the dispute delivered by the late Okyenhene Osagyefo Ofori Attah III in 1971.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the associations at Nsutam after the youth learned of the outcome of the dispute as announced by the Okyehene when he summoned the Chiefs of Nsutam and Bunso to Kyebi recently.
At the meeting of the youth, a copy of the purported judgement of Osagyefo Ofori Attah III was discussed extensively, after which they came to the conclusion that the judgement did not appear to be authentic, its reasoning not well founded in law, and, above all, failed to indicate the area in dispute.
They cited four grounds for their decision.
“First, the typewritten copy of the purported judgement which was read to the disputing parties by the Osagyefo Amoatia at Kyebi as settlement was not signed by Osagyefo Ofori Atta III.
“Second, it was not certified and stamped by the State Secretary at the time as a true copy of the judgement delivered at the Executive Council Meeting of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council in 1971.
“Third, the purported judgement did neither specify the area in dispute nor have as an attachment, the site plan of the area.
“Fourth, in 1971, when the purported judgement was delivered, the existing road with a junction (near the Linda Dor Rest Stop) to Bunso and Koforidua, had not been constructed for the Bunsohene to make it a reference point for his claim since the whole area is owned by families from Nsutam,” the youth pointed out.
Three months ago, the dispute nearly resulted in violence when the youth of Nsutam pulled down a “Bunso” signboard erected by the Bunsohene at the Linda Dor Rest Stop claiming that area was part of his town and not that of Nsutam. The Bunso police quickly intervened when a member of the Bunsohene’s team pulled out a gun.
In an effort to have the dispute settled, Osagyefo Amoatia invited the Chiefs of the Nsutam and Bunso to Kyebi to listen to their respective grievances and chart the way forward, so the parties thought. However, neither Chief was invited to state his case, nor call witnesses.
In a surprising turn of events, the Overlord of Akyem Abuakwa brought out a document claiming to be judgement on the same dispute that was heard at Kyebi in 1971 by Osagyefo Ofori Atta III, and read its contents to the parties. The purported judgement ceded the disputed lands to Bunsohene on grounds of their proximity to the Bunso Cocoa College.
The youth meeting described the purported judgement as “unacceptable because the cloud of suspicion surrounding it is too glaring to be ignored. In particular, they wondered whether the ownership of the disputed lands so ceded was now vested in the Bunsohene or remain vested in the owners from Nsutam before the purported judgement was delivered.
The meeting appealed to the Okyehene to abandon his reliance on the purported judgement of 1971 as it lacked all the requirements that should be satisfied for it to be accepted as genuine in any judicial forum.
Rather, he should seek inputs from the just enstooled Chief of Asiakwa, Daasebre Twum Ampofo II, who is also the Nifahene of Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area and has supervisory jurisdiction over Nsutam, to assist him in the resolution of the dispute.
The meeting warned that the boundary dispute between Nsutam and the Bunso Chief was a time bomb waiting to explode anytime soon with deadly outcomes and called on the Security Committees of Fanteakwa South and East Akyem.
Municipal Assemblies not to sleep on their responsibility but to assist the Okyehene in resolving the dispute peacefully..
“We respectfully urge Osagyefo Amoatia to understand that we, the youth of Nsutam, will not cede a centimeter of Nsutam lands to the Chief of Bunso. We are ever ready to fight to the last man to assert our ownership and control over what legitimately belongs to us,” the meeting added.
From Kofi Adu Bediako, Akyem Nsutam
