Chief denies press reports of renewed tension in Banda

Banda Ahenkro (Brong Ahafo) , 11 Jan '99 - The Omanhene of the Banda traditional area, Osabarima Okokyeredom Kwadwo Sito the First, has denied press reports of renewed tension in the Banda area following a durbar held in the town in aid of a senior secondary school (sss) project. A statement issued at Banda Ahenkro at the weekend and signed by Nana Sito and his elders described the report carried by the 'Daily Graphic' as ''dubious'' and misleading. While agreeing that there is a chieftaincy dispute between the Banda Ahenkro and Kabrono royal families, the statement said it was not true that anyone had planned any form of violence to disrupt the durbar which raised funds for the only sss in the area. ''The facts of the matter as reported.... even though are undeniable, the fact that tension had been mounting in the area was a wrong piece of information. ''It may interest the public to know that the fund-raising durbar was organised by a specially selected committee made up of members from the Banda Concerned Citizens Association(BACCA) and was attended by all the sub-chiefs as well as Banda citizens from different parts of the country, from outside the country and from the area, including the assemblyman for Kabrono. '' It sounds strange that these same people of Kabrono who, in the recent past had organised a similar durbar in aid of a rural clinic in that town without opposition ....at a time when no verdict had been given in this same Banda chieftaincy dispute' should advance the same argument and decide to resort to violence to disrupt the fund-raising durbar," the statement said. It against ''calculated efforts'' being made by some people in the Banda area .... which are only meant to ''cause panic among the people and perpetuate conflict and instability in the Banda area for their own whims and caprices''. ''It is rather unfortunate that at a time when the president of the republic, well-meaning Ghanaians and the entire international community are craving for peace and stability in all parts of Africa, some rich personalities from Kabrono should engage themselves in fanning this long-standing chieftaincy conflict instead of helping the judicial committee of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs in making every effort to resolve it.'' It noted that the Banda area has promising economic potentials, adding that recent findings in the Banda Hills point to large reserves of gold deposits next to Obuasi Goldfields. The inhabitants also produce large quantities of yam and groundnut and engage in cattle rearing while huge clay deposits are found in many parts of the traditional area. The statement, therefore, reiterated the need to heed appeals made by the member of parliament for Wenchi West, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, who is also a deputy minister of Food and Agriculture, and other dignitaries for peace, unity and stability in the area. The 'Daily Graphic' in its December 29, 1998, edition, reported renewed tension in the Banda area as a result of a decision by Osabarima Sito to ride in a palanquin during a durbar in aid of a school project. The report said a group of people from Kabrono who visited the offices of the Daily Graphic registered their disgust at the behaviour of the Banda Ahenkro royal family and appealed to the Brong Ahafo Regional Security Committee to stop the fund-raising rally to prevent possible confrontation between the two royal families.