Things fall apart:Mfantseman Council suffers crack in leadership… As chairman, member resign
NANA (DR.) Okatakyi Amenfi VII, Chairman of the Mfantseman Council of Elders of Ashanti, has relinquished his position.
Nana Kofi Essel Banful, Medical Director of the Adom Clinic in Kumasi and Sanaahen of Gomoa Abokor in the Central Region, has also resigned as a member of the Mfantseman Council. Their resignation takes effect from July 28, 2008.
Nana Amenfi, who is also the Omanhen of the Asebu Traditional Area in the Central Region and Vice President of the Central Regional House of Chiefs, and Nana Banful, tendered their resignations to the Mfantsemanhen and President of the Council, Nana Arkorful Owese.
The two stated, in a joint letter of resignation, that the reason for their decision to resign from the Council of Elders was personal, stating their appreciation for the support of the Council.
However, The Chronicle has gathered that the resignation of the two eminent chiefs borders on alleged disrespectful acts by some members of the Council, in respect of the resolution on an impasse between Nana Arkorful and the Mfantse Nifahen of Kumasi, Nana Nanabanyin Ninisin-Imbeah II, who is also the Mfantsehen of Anloga/Oforikrom.
According to The Chronicle sources, Nana (Dr. ) Okatakyi Amenfi had cautioned members against giving the impasse publicity, but to his surprise, five chiefs had reacted to The Chronicle publication of July 3, 2009, headlined: “Omanhene” in the dock of accountability…over GH¢6,000 indebtedness to Council.”
Nana Kow Akyin, (Dakodwom), Nana Ampiah Ogyeabo (Asem Fante New Town), Nana Obuabasa Akye Kojo (Ahinsan), Nana Kow Baiden (Ayigya) and Nana Kobina Otu (Amakom) signed a purported rejoinder to The Chronicle story in The Kumasi Mail, a local newspaper in Kumasi, which claimed that the story was not true against the stated positions of Nana Arkorful himself and the Chairman of the Council of Elders, Dr. Amenfi.
While the Nifahen, Nana Ninsin Imbeah, is calling for accountability on the part of the Mfantsehen, the Mfantse overlord in Kumasi is accusing the head of the right wing of being disrespectful.
It has become obvious from the unfolding details that the two are fighting over finances. The Nifahen is said to have questioned the financial management of the Council by the President, at a meeting of the Council early this year.
Nana Arkorful has not taken kindly to the “misconduct” of his Nifahen, and has therefore suspended him.
The Nifahen is demanding proper accounting for the disbursement of an amount of GH¢6,000 is rendered.
Nana Ninsin-Imbeah contends that the said amount, which could have been used to support the Otumfuo Education Fund, or education back home in the Central Region, has gone down the drain, claiming the said GH¢6,000 was withdrawn from the bank account without the approval of the General Council.
Reacting to the allegations, Nana Akorful Owese, Mfantsehen of Kumasi, confirmed to The Chronicle that he and his elders had suspended Nana Nanabanyin Ninsin-Imbeah II for misconduct.
According to him, Nana Nanabayin insulted him (Nana Akorful) during an executive meeting last February, after deliberating on a debt the Mfantseman Council incurred during the celebration of the firstever Mfantse Day in Kumasi, last August.
Nana Akorful explained that at one of the executive meetings, the Planning Committee of the Mfantse Day celebration, announced that a debt of GH¢6,000 was incurred, which, he said, the council suggested should be shared out among the 15 Mfantse districts in the region, which were asked to pay GH¢400 each, and which the council accepted.
He mentioned that Nana Ninsin-Imbeah objected to that, and said he (Nana Nanabanyin) did not comprehend why the council incurred that debt, calling the Mfantsehen and his elders “irresponsible”.
He said he and the elders immediately asked Nana Nanabanyin to walk out, since he was being disrespectful, and called for his suspension there and then.
When Okatakyi Dr. Amenfi VII, as Chairman of the Mfantseman Council of Elders, was contacted, he confirmed that elders of Anloga/Oforikrom had complained about the conduct of the Mfantsehen, and the alleged treatment being meted out to their leader, for which reason he said efforts were being made to resolve the impasse, and consequently warned the factions against resorting to the press while mediation went on.
Unfortunately, the five signatories, allegedly acting at the instance of the Mfantsemanhen, authored a rejoinder for distribution to the media.
While the Kumasi Mail stated that the signatories were five as mentioned above, The Chronicle can say that the rejoinder was signed by as many as 13 signatories, some of whom claim they did not know their signatures were required to fan the impasse.