Adaklu Citizens to be consulted on district capital

Ho, Jan. 4, GNA - The wider section of Adaklu citizens are to be consulted on the raging controversy over the location of the capital of the Adaklu-Anyigbe District at Kpetoe instead of Adaklu-Waya. That would ensure that whatever stance would be taken by the traditional council on the issue reflected the "wish of the people". This was contained in a statement issued by Togbe Gbogbi Atsa V, Paramount Chief of the Adaklu Traditional Area and made available to the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday.

"In view of the recent development, there is the need to have dialogue with a wider section of the people of Adaklu in order to decide the wish of the people and the way forward," the statement said. To this end the Ad-hoc Committee on the designation of Adaklu-Anyigbe District Capital has been suspended effective Thursday January 5 this year, according to the statement.

According to the statement, the Committee was formed at Ashiaman in the Greater Accra Region about two years ago under the Chairmanship of Togbe Lablulu Tegbeza V with the mandate to handle matters relating to the citing of the new Adaklu-Anyigbe Capital.

The statement, which was addressed to the Chairman of the Committee, expressed appreciation of Togbe Atsa to members of the Committee "for the dedicated part they played so far". Under the guidance of the Committee, the Adaklu Traditional Council protested siting of the capital of the new district at Agortime-Kpetoe, instead of Adaklu-Waya, which was originally mentioned as capital in a legislative instrument establishing the district. Several representations were made on the issue to government at different levels, followed by street protests and a declaration that all Adaklu land and citizens should not be considered as part of the district.

Adaklu chiefs and people, including their assembly members boycotted the inaugural ceremony of the district at Kpetoe. The Chairman of the suspended committee, Togbe Lablulu Tegbeza V is currently under Police investigations over a mob attack on a stranded commercial driver, who had a flat tyre near Adaklu-Waya on December 12, last year in which one person died. Meanwhile, a citizen of Adaklu, Mr Simon W.K. Tsadidey, has appealed to the chiefs and people of Adaklu to consider the rightly fought battle to get the capital of district located at Adaklu-Waya over.

He suggested that the protest be ended for the people to "rally round in support of the newly created district so that we can bring development to our people". Mr Tsadidey, who is the Principal of Peki Training College said there was the possibility that Adaklu could be qualified to stand on its own as a district in the near future and therefore no need to pursue the matter further to the Supreme Court or other forums as being speculated by some citizens.

He expressed dismay at reports that some chiefs and citizens had issued directions to their subjects to reject "books and other educational inputs to schools in Adaklu through the Educational Directorate of the Adaklu-Anyigbe District Assembly" at Kpetoe "As an Educationist, I consider this development unfortunate and one step too far if it is true. We cannot afford as a people to sacrifice the future well-being of the children for whose sake we did struggle for a district capital," Mr Tsadidey stated. He appealed to the chiefs and people of the area not to allow the issue to divide their ranks because "what we losing on the swings today, we would gain at the roundabouts tomorrow. Let all our Assembly Men take their seats now that the dust has settled". 04 Jan 06