body-container-line-1
18.04.2005 Regional News

Teacher sustains gun wounds in chieftaincy dispute at Odoben

18.04.2005 LISTEN
By GNA

Breman Asikuma, April 18, GNA - One Dominic Odoom, a teacher at Odoben in the Asikuman Odoben Brakwa District, sustained gun wounds when two factions clashed in a chieftaincy dispute in the farming community. Odoom was rushed to the local Catholic Hospital where he was treated and discharged.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview, the District Police Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mohammed Fuseini said the incident occurred when the Kwaa Krah Family, one of the three factions in the dispute, confined one Nana Nyarko Atta Okra Wiresi XVII for the traditional rites to be installed as a chief of the town. He said another faction led by the Queen Mother, Nana Efua Kyeremah, who protested against the confinement, seized indigenous musical instruments belonging to the Asafo group that was parading Nana Wiresi as the new Chief through the principal streets of the town. DSP Fuseini said the faction supported by the Queen Mother also confined one Nana Osam Dadzie Wiresi XVII to be outdoored even though they had not obtained Police permit.

He said in 1987, a similar dispute arose in the area and the then President of the Central Regional House of Chiefs, Nana Nyarko Eku IX, and the Omanhene of Agona Nyakrom intervened for an amicable solution. A committee was established to resolve the dispute, which came out with the decision that the stool should rotate between the three houses of the Royal family namely the Kwaa Krah, Andam Wiresi and the Kwa Mensah.

He said the disputing parties were then made to sign an undertaking to that effect.

DSP Fuseini said the Queen Mother had told the two factions that they could not ascend the stool and summoned them before the Ajumako Traditional Council.

He noted that the Arbitration Committee of the Council found the Queen Mother guilty.

The District Police Commander said Nana Efuah Kyeremah who was not satisfied with the decision filed an appeal at the Central Regional House of Chiefs where the case was pending. He stated that Kwaa Krah's family had applied for permit for the installation of Nana Nyakoh-Atta Krah Wiresi XVII on Tuesday April 19 2005.

When GNA contacted the Queen Mother, she said her family confined and outdoored Nana Osam Dadzie Wiresi because the other faction did not qualify for the vacant stool. She said even though a chief had to be confined for at least a week, Nana Wiresi outdoored the Chief in a short time in other to avert trouble. DSP Fuseini said the Police had not made any arrests.

body-container-line