'Don't Step Foot Here': Why the Nkusukum-MP Clash Is a Warning to Ghana’s Political Class

Traditional leaders draw a line in the sand as Mfantseman MP faces banishment over alleged institutional bypass and developmental overreach.

A volatile standoff is brewing in the Mfantseman Municipality, serving as a stark reminder of the limits of political power when it collides with ancestral authority. The Nkusukum Traditional Council has taken the extraordinary step of performing sacred traditional rituals to declare the Member of Parliament (MP) for Mfantseman, Dr. Ebenezer Prince Arhin, persona non grata. The decree—summed up by the defiant warning, "Don't step foot here"—marks a severe fracture between the custodians of the land and the political directorate.

While political office holders often operate with the assumption that state-backed mandates grant them total autonomy, the situation in Nkusukum demonstrates that ignoring grassroots traditional structures is a recipe for governance failure.

The Historical Backing: A State Reclaiming Its Dignity

To understand why the Nkusukum chiefs are reacting with such fierce protectiveness over their authority, one must look at the recent history of the traditional area.

For 13 long years, the Nkusukum Traditional Area was paralyzed by a bitter chieftaincy dispute. This protracted leadership vacuum left the state vulnerable, slowed local development, and fractured community cohesion. The impasse finally ended with the successful enstoolment of Okukurubour Nkum I as the substantive Omanhene (Paramount Chief) of the Nkusukum Traditional Area.

Having just emerged from over a decade of instability, the Nkusukum Council is in a phase of institutional rebirth. The chiefs are fiercely reclaiming their pride, unity, and territorial sovereignty. Any action by a political actor that is perceived as a slight against the newly unified paramountcy is not just treated as a personal offense—it is viewed as a direct threat to the hard-won stability of the entire state.

The Core Issues: Disrespect, Roads, and Broken Protocols

The current hostility boils down to two main friction points:

• The "Big Push" Road Project Alignment: At the heart of the physical dispute is a major road construction project under the government's development agenda. The Traditional Council alleges that the MP unilaterally altered or influenced the alignment of the road project without consulting the palace. Traditional leaders argue that infrastructure layout directly impacts sacred lands, family properties, and long-term town planning, making their input mandatory.
• The Breach of Customary Protocol: In Ghanaian governance, the stool remains the ultimate soul of the community. The chiefs claim that Dr. Ebenezer Arhin has consistently shown a lack of respect for the paramountcy by bypassing traditional leadership during key decision-making processes. In their view, utilizing the land for state projects without formal engagement with the custodians is an egregious violation of customary law.

By pouring libation and performing rituals to ban the MP, the chiefs used the most potent tool in their customary arsenal to signal that political power does not supersede traditional authority on Nkusukum lands.

Echoes from the Palace and the Political Divide

The language from the traditional leadership underscores the depth of the betrayal felt by the custodians of the land. Speaking on behalf of the council, local elders made it clear that the MP's actions had pushed them past the point of tolerance.

"We will not sit idly by while political figures treat our stools and our heritage as secondary to their campaign promises," a representative from the council noted during the declaration. "Development must come with respect, not through the back door."

On the political side, sources close to Dr. Ebenezer Prince Arhin suggest the MP's office views the friction as a misunderstanding driven by the fast-moving timelines of state contractors rather than intentional malice.

"The goal has always been to deliver the 'Big Push' infrastructure to the good people of Mfantseman," a municipal assembly source commented. "However, there is an acknowledgment that communication channels could have been managed with more care to avoid offending local sensibilities."

The Path to Amicable Resolution

A prolonged ban on an MP benefits no one. It stalls state-funded developmental projects, divides the electorate, and creates an environment of hostility. Resolving this impasse requires a careful blend of political humility and customary diplomacy.

The Power of the Palace Apology (The Customary Approach)

In Akan tradition, a knot tied by custom can only be untied by custom. The MP, Dr. Ebenezer Prince Arhin, must initiate a peace mission to the Nkusukum palace. This cannot be a mere press release or a political speech. The MP, accompanied by respected party elders and neutral regional leaders, must physically visit the Omanhene's palace with traditional tokens of peace (such as drinks and a formal petition) to express regret for any perceived disrespect. This allows the chiefs to accept the apology without losing face or compromising the dignity of the stool.

Setting Up an Independent Mediation Committee

The Central Regional House of Chiefs, alongside the Regional Minister, should urgently step in as neutral arbiters. A tripartite mediation committee—comprising representatives from the Nkusukum Traditional Council, the Municipal Assembly, and the MP's office—should be formed to review the technical alignment of the road project. This ensures that technical development goals align perfectly with the cultural boundaries of the land.

Institutionalizing the "Chieftaincy-Political Co-governance" Model

Moving forward, the Mfantseman Municipal Assembly and the MP’s office must institutionalize a framework where traditional authorities are treated as primary stakeholders, not secondary observers. Before any major state project is launched, a formal stakeholders' briefing must occur at the palace.

Unity for Mfantseman’s Sake

The Nkusukum Traditional Area has wasted 13 years on internal disputes; it cannot afford to waste more years fighting its political representatives. Democracy and chieftaincy are the two legs upon which Ghana stands. When they pull in opposite directions, progress falls flat.

Dr. Ebenezer Prince Arhin must take the humble step toward the palace gates, and the Nkusukum chiefs, in their fatherly wisdom, must be ready to open the door. Only a united front will bring the real "Big Push" of development that the people of Mfantseman so desperately deserve.

About the Author
The author is a veteran Ghanaian journalist and political analyst specializing in local governance, traditional affairs, and community development across the Central Region. Writing extensively on the intersection of modern democracy and customary law, his work focuses on decentralization, institutional reform, and transparency in civic leadership.

✍️By A Concerned Retired Senior Citizen

For and on behalf of all Senior Citizens of the Republic of Ghana 🇬🇭

Teshie-Nungua
akpaluck@gmail.com

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