Ga Elders Threaten To Flout Minister Orders

Elders of Ga State have threatened to go against a directive by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Ishmael Ashitey, to ban the sprinkling of 'kpokpoi' during this year's Homowo (hooting at hunger) Festival.

To them, they have had enough of political interference in culture and chieftaincy affairs, hence the decision not to adhere to the orders of the minister.

At a media conference in Accra recently, Dzasetse of Ga Paramount Stool, Nii Yaote Oto Ga II, said, “As you are aware, the annual Homowo Festival comes off this Saturday, August 18, and instead of the minister doing the honorable thing by ensuring that rightful chiefs including King Tackie Adama Latse II sprinkle the 'kpokpoi', he has rather directed that the sprinkling should be done indoors.”

He added, “That is contrary to Ga custom and an abomination to the culture of the Ga people.”

The Dzasetse stressed that President of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs wrote to Nii Dodoo Nsaki II to inform him that with King Tackie Adama Latse II as Ga Mantse, he, Nii Dodoo Nsaki cannot call himself the Acting President of the Ga Traditional Council. But Ishmael Ashitey went on air to question the authority of the President of the Regional House of Chiefs to make that pronouncement.

He pointed out that the High Court Registry has served a copy of the Entry of Judgement in the case filed in court against the regional minister and his two accomplices, and its lawyer has written to him to respect the laws of this country and to respect the authority of the courts of this country.

He also called for the opening of the palace and the stool house and to grant the Ga Mantse access to them.

“Contrary to expectation, the regional minister in a clear exhibition of power, has still kept the palace closed and has kept Dr. Kelvin Tackie in the stool house.

“The Ga Stool has no political colours and therefore we will resist any attempt no matter where it emanates from to ascribe any political colours to the Ga Stool. Our patience, I repeat, has a limit, “he said.