Chief challenges 'Doubting Thomasses'

Nana Kwame Adorn V, the traditional ruler of Bowiri in the Jasikan District of the Volta Region has challenged the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and other security agencies of the state to investigate his background as chief if his position is in doubt.

"If my credentials are fake, I should be arrested and prosecuted. I am the paramount chief of Bowiri Traditional Area and I stand by that. I was enstooled in 1995 and gazetted in 2001," he added.

The Omanhene threw the unusual challenge when a group of journalists visited Bowiri Amanfrom, as part of a fact-finding mission to the district to obtain firsthand information about the creation of the Biakoye District and the choice of Nkonya as its capital.

Nana Adom who was addressing a durbar of his citizens, said it was unfortunate that a few disgruntled individuals were presenting themselves as paramount chiefs just to foment trouble in the area.

On the creation of the new district he said he and his people had no objection to the selection of Nkonya Ahenkro though they initially hoped Bowiri Kwamekrom, being the largest town in the area, might be the choice. "But we cannot act contrary to government's policy as we know the creation of the new district will bring development to this area."

He hoped his area of authority would not be left out of the policy of accelerated development.

Nana Adom, who visited all the traditional rulers in the area as soon as the announcement of a district creation came out, hoped his colleague rulers would give peace a chance for development to take place.

Like the Bowirihene, the Omanhene of Tapa, Nana Kwame Okofrobuor Asante had no qualms with the central government's choice of Nkonya Ahenkro, as that was the "prerogative of the President".

Speaking to the media at his Tapa Abotoase palace, Nana Asante hoped the various people and traditional authorities opposed to the choice would bury the hatchet as early as possible.

In his view, since the personnel who would be running the proposed district would be selected from the adjoining communities, it would not only be difficult but almost impossible to administer the district if peace was not promoted among the communities immediately.

"Government should call all the parties involved and talk to them for them to know why it is important to let peace prevail," he stated.

For his part, Nana Kofi Okorto III, Omanhene of Nkonya Traditional Area criticized some people who recently held a press conference in Accra to kick against the choice of the proposed capital.

He accused those suggesting that Worawora be made the district capital of trying to distort history, as the Worawora people are settlers and not original inhabitants of the area.

"Kufuor's decision to make Nkonya Ahenkro the district capital is only a reaffirmation of the truth that has always been in existence."

Nana Okorto, who addressed the journalists and his elders at his palace, was optimistic that the central position of his town would inevitably make it the best capital town. He therefore called on government to not cower under any pressure to rescind or reverse its earlier decision of making Nkonya the capital of the proposed Biakoye District.

The chiefs and people of Apesokubi, on the other hand, held a contrary view about the choice of Nkonya Ahenkro over Worawora, which is the most developed town in the whole district.

"Nkonya is a small town and it was originally decided that Worawora should be made the district capital as it has all the necessary amenities and facilities such as police station, schools, hospital, among others," said Nana Kofi Adu, an elder of the town, who spoke on behalf his ailing octogenarian chief.

"Government has disappointed us because we agreed that Worawora should be the capital eight years ago.”When we started fighting for the Biakoye constituency, Nkonya was not involved. It became the constituency capital. Now, it has been made the district capital as well. This is unfair," he said.

His concern was later corroborated by the Chief of Apesokubi, Nana Dente Katabua II, who hoped government would reconsider the issue.

The choice of Nkonya Ahenkro as the capital of the newly-created Biakoye District by government was met with stiff opposition, as some traditional authorities in the area disagreed with the choice.

The scheduled inauguration of the district which was to have taken place on February 29 could not happen following a court injunction at the instance of one of the feuding parties. As at now, no date has been set for the inauguration of the Biakoye District.