Asante, Ga tradition clash

Accra (Greater Accra) 12 May 2000 - Reports reaching GRi says the launching of the Otumfuo Education Trust Fund scheduled for Accra on Saturday, May 13, has been postponed in the midst of traditional wrangling. This follows complains by the Ga Traditional Council that the Menhyia Palace have by passed age old traditions, which requires that the Ga Traditional Council is properly informed on such visits.

The Council, accordingly sent a letter to the Menhyia Palace expressing its displeasure about the fact that the Otumfuo Osei Tutu 11 was attending such important event as the launching of the Asanteman Education Fund and the Council had not been informed.

The statement indicated that the chiefs, elders and people of the Ga Adangbe are greatly disturbed that the Asantehene has decided without the prior and appropriate approach to the traditional authorities of the land as custom demands, to visit Accra on a ceremonial occasion to launch the Education Fund. However, Joy FM reports Otumfuo’s personal secretary, Kofi Owusu Boateng as saying that the Asantehene was not visiting in connection with the launching of the Education Trust Fund but only passing through Accra en-route to England, and his presence was only to grace the occasion. He dismissed claims by the Ga Traditional Council that Otumfuo flouted traditional procedures by not announcing his visit properly, adding that any time the Asantehene visited he sent emissaries to Accra, but this time he sent a paramount chief in the person of Nana Akuoku Sarpong, the Agogohene.

A Joy FM report says a visit to the Ga Adangbe District Secretariat earlier saw some Ga youths in red band, ready to protest against the arrival of the Asantehene.