Let there be peace in Kwahu

One of the problems confronting this country, at the moment, is the pockets of chieftaincy and ethnic conflicts going on in some of the regions.

From Nankpanduri through Yendi to Nkonya-Alavanyo, the people are always fighting over either land or chieftaincy matters.

The two major clashes that occurred at Agbogloshie in Accra among some of the ethnic groupings from the north, in recent times, are being attributed to some of the conflicts back home in the north.

In the case of Nkonya-Alavanyo, innocent people have been killed like animals, because of the century-old conflict over land. Though several interventions had been made in the past to resolve this particular conflict, it keeps on reoccurring, and anytime it happens, human lives are lost. From National Security, down to the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, everything possible has been done to ensure lasting peace among the two ethnic groups in the Volta Region, but the problem would simply not go away.

Here in Accra, ever since the Ga Mantse, Nii Amugi, died a couple of years ago, the Ga State has not known peace. Pockets of violence have erupted over the enstoolment of a new Ga Mantse to succeed Nii Amugi.

Several people are claiming the title of Ga Mantse, with some of the cases pending at the courts. The only solace in the case of the Ga chieftaincy issue is that no human life has been lost, because of heavy security presence in the national capital.

It is based on all these developments that The Chronicle is worried about the reported attacks on innocent people in the Kwahu Traditional area over the enstoolment of Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa as Chief of Abene.

As to whether the medical practitioner cum politician qualifies to be the Chief of Abene and, subsequently, the Kwahu Paramount Chief is not our concern, because we don't have the power to determine that.

Our problem is the security situation, where the people do not have the freedom to move around, because of fear of being attacked.

A report we carry at our front page today, indicates that most of the inhabitants at Abene have left the village for fear of being attacked by thugs sent to the village by one of the chiefs.

They have, therefore, moved from the community with their children, thus disturbing the education of the kids, through no fault of theirs.

Though our report indicates that there is heavy security presence at the place, it should not make the police complacent. They must conduct proper behind-the-scenes investigations to ascertain if any group in the conflict is preparing for a reprisal attack.

The Kwahu Traditional Area has known peace over the years, which has necessitated the promotion of tourism.

A typical example is the annual Easter Paragliding Festival, which is gradually attracting hundreds of tourists from abroad.

Many investors have also started moving to Kwahu towns to invest, especially, in the tourism sector.

However, the chieftaincy case, which is gradually smouldering in the area could destroy this investment drive, which will, obviously, come with its concomitant loss of jobs.

If Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa is not qualified to ascend the throne, the 1992 Constitution has prescribed the method to deal with such situations, which includes action being brought against the kingmakers at the law courts, or even routing it through the Judicial Committee of the Regional or National House of Chiefs. Resorting to violence, which the Abetifi Chief, Nana Asiedu Agyemang III, has admitted to doing, is not the best way to bring about peace.

If everyone should resort to violence instead of observing law and order, it would result in a chaotic situation, which, obviously, would not serve the interests of the country.

It is our hope that all the combatants in the conflict would listen to our advice, and resort to the use of due process of the law to resolve the issue. Kwahu should, certainly, not be turned into a war zone, because it plays an important economic role in the development of Mother Ghana.