Residents of Twedie in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti region have petitioned Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, to rescue them from the harassment of Yabihene, Nana Kwame Frimpong Okotomene II.
The Yabihene is said to have imposed himself on Twedie, as the overlord of Twedie lands. They have protested against the alleged dominance in a demonstration to register their displeasure against the development.
Some of the placards displayed read, “Opemsuo, please rescue us from Yabihene,” “Kofikrom, we don’t want any banter,” “Ghana Police Service, stop arresting us,” “Kofikrom, we don’t want bloodshed” and “Enough is Enough, Yabihene.”
Clad in red and black costumes, they sang war songs and called on the Asantehene and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to intervene and rescue them from the inhuman treatment of the Yabihene to avert imminent bloodshed.
Mr. Augustine Osei, Assemblyman for Twedie electoral area, who addressed the media at the community center after the demonstration, explained that the Yabihene is claiming to be the overlord of Twedie, having been assigned by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, as the Caretaker of the Twedie lands.
As a result, the Yabihene has imposed an Odikro (Caretaker chief) from Kofikrom, who has engaged land guards to harass the farmers by destroying the farms and farm produce.
The Assemblyman disclosed that Twedie lands were legally acquired from Nana Toasehene, but the Yabihene is now claiming ownership of the Twedie lands and thus using land guards to forcibly take over their lands, with the connivance of the Kofikrom Odikro.
He also accused the Yabihene and Kofikrom Odikro of conniving with the police from the Kumasi Central Police Command to team up with the land guards to arrest the residents who resist the destruction of their farm lands, in the name of re-demarcation and development of the area.
The Assemblyman revealed that Yabihene has engaged one Prince as a surveyor to carry out the false demarcation and called for the swift intervention of the Asantehene, to stop the intimidation of the residents by the Yabihene.
