Katanga chiefs appeal to govt, IGP over insecurity

The chiefs and people of Pai-Katanga, a town in the carved Oti region, have made a passionate appeal to the government and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) James Oppong Boanuh, to immediately call ousted chief, Nana Diawuo Bediako II, to order, to end a protracted chieftaincy dispute.

Nana Diawuo Bediako II, domiciled in Accra, according to The Herald sources, was removed as a traditional ruler in 2008, over a theft case leveled against him by his sub-chiefs, queen mothers and replaced with Nana Aponkoni Sekyere III, but he has vehemently refused to accept the fact that, he is no longer the traditional head.

The dethroned chief, who only spent just three months on the throne, is said to be causing disturbances in the town, leading to the loss of seven innocent lives.

The people, have been left frustrated and are in a state of despair and insecurity, especially after a gun shooting incident in the disputed chief’s house left five people dead in November last year.

Four out of the five, came from Nana Diawuo Bediako’s III camp, while the other one, came from the other chief’s side.

They are hence calling on the government and the IGP, to intervene before additional lives are lost. “We are also Ghanaians, so if some people have been killed and some have been arrested, how come no one has been arrested for the killing of the one from our side”?

Interestingly, despite Nana Diawuo Bediako II’s dethronement as chief of Katanga, he still continues to carry himself asuch with express support from Krachi chief, who is alleged to have elevated him to non-existing paramount chief status regardless of the fact that the stool is a divisional one.

He is, however, not recognized as a chief by the Krachi Traditional Council, as well as the Regional House of Chief.

Nana Diawuo Bediako II, this paper is informed, caused the arrest and imprisonment of some 35 of the people of Katanga at Ho Central Prison in 2018, on the claim that those arrested were distracting his reign.

They spent a whole month in prison. All the chiefs in the town, have been sent to prison and back, The Herald learnt.

Last November, there was another arrest. It included sub-chiefs, young and old men.

But after their release, the youth vowed to deal with Nana Diawuo Bediako II, however, they were stopped and instead, a petition was sent to the IGP, and who commended them for that step.

Paramount among the issues raised in the petition was the claim that Nana Diawuo Bediako II, has been made a paramount chief.

Akwamuhene, Nana Kojo Ababio, who spoke to The Herald, said the disputed chief, has always made it his business to visit the town with confusion.

He observed “Anytime he leaves the town, Pai-Katanga is calm and everyone goes about doing their daily activities but the moment he arrives, there is chaos. Even when someone dies and we want to organize funeral, he says no he is the chief he won’t allow it.

“Out of nine chiefs, eight have said they don’t want him but he still doesn’t want to give up. As we speak only three people are on his side so how can lead a town with such number of people backing you?

“We have installed our new chief in the person Nana Aponkoni Sekyere III”.

The people have drawn the Police into the shooting incident, accusing them of unfair treatment, saying they were disappointed that, they were able to arrest others from their camp as suspects, but were unable to arrest anyone from their opponent’s camp, meaning they had taken sides in the matter.

Among those arrested, was the Kyedomhene, who is said to be very old and sick.

The four suspects are still on remand, while the person who shot and killed the other person, is walking free, the chief lamented.

In their view, it was fair that the Police make another arrest for their love one, who was killed from their camp, so that they will be seen as being fair and just. “Who killed that one person; this is what we don’t understand”.

A decision to organize funeral for seven indigenes, including two former chiefs, Nana Kweku Aponkoni II, who died some 32 years ago, Nana Ofosu Yiadom, who died in 2008, before the ousted chief was installed, is being thwarted by the same Nana Diawuo Bediako II, insisting he is also going to have a funeral for his deceased family member.

Asked what the accused chief stole, Nana Ababio, mentioned that, Nana Diawuo Bediako, soiled himself when he went behind the chiefs and collected money from an illegal timber merchant.

He revealed that, when he was caught and asked before elders, he refused to appear before them, saying “in the past when our leaders stole, we removed them so, if he has also done same then, we can remove him and we indeed, removed him”.