Finance Minister not involved in Kotoku stool dispute

The Attafuah House of Akyem Kotoku said in Accra on Thursday that the Minister of Finance, Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo was not involved in the chieftaincy dispute in the town as alleged by Oseadeayo Frimpong Manso IV, the disputed Omanhene.

"We wish to state categorically that Honourable Osafo-Maafo has never played any role in the Kotoku stool dispute," it said in a statement signed by Mr Kwame Appiah and Mr Kofi Ofori of Akyem Oda Old Town.

"We do know him as a man imbued with sound moral principles who would not involve himself in any act that would tarnish his hard won reputation.

"For the teeming ambitious young people of the Constituency, he is a role model who inspires us to achieve excellence in our various professional pursuits." The finance Minister is the MP for Oda.

Oseadeayo Frimpong Manso on July 10 told a press conference in Accra that there were threats to peace and unity in the area by the protracted chieftaincy dispute.

He said the dispute was threatening to tear the traditional area apart and called on the government to intervene immediately with the deployment of rapid security force to forestall bloodshed.

The Omanhene also appealed to the Eastern Region House of Chiefs to expedite action in settling the dispute.

He said a faction of the Attafuah Family on July 8 attacked him and his entourage with stones and other dangerous implements destroying property and accused the Minister of supporting the Attafuah divide.

But the Attafuah family said the statement by Oseadeayo Frimpong Manso, whose installation has triggered the dispute, was a "desperate attempt to drag otherwise honourable personalities into the gutter with him."

The statement said the Abusuapanin of the Agona Royal Family in conjunction with the Hweakwaehene has filed a petition with the judicial committee of the Eastern Region House of Chiefs challenging the royalty of Oseadeayo Frimpong Manso, known in private life as Dr Joseph Kyei Minta.

The petition is also challenging the purported enstoolment by the queenmother, Nana Akua Asantewaa II.

"The judicial committee has indeed been taking evidence subsequent to the filing of the of the petition in May, 1999. Surprisingly, Kyei Minta has never attended any of the numerous sittings so far to establish his royalty.

"We advise (him) to submit himself to the Eastern Region House of Chiefs and prove his royalty and claim to the Kotoku Stool."

In a reaction to the Attafuah challenge however, the Omanhene of Akyem Kotoku stated on Friday that his royalty to the throne is indisputable.

"I am ready to prove it within five minutes before any competent body or committee," he said.

Oseadeayo Frimpong Manso IV, the Omanhene, told the Ghana News Agency in Accra stating that Mr Kwame Appiah and Mr Kofi Ofori who had defended the Attafuah course are the Oda constituency secretary and deputy secretary respectively of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Oseadeayo Frimpong Manso explained that he has personally not appeared before the judicial committee of the Eastern Region House of Chiefs because "it is the kingmakers and queenmother who installed me who have to prove the royalty of the chief.'

"In any case, I am ready to prove my lineage in less than five minutes.

"My uncle has been the Abusuapanin of the Frimpong Manso royal family in Oda. Nana Nyankomango, the immediate past and Nana Atia Yaw, the current Abusuapanyin, are also my direct uncles."

The Omanhene stated that any person, who claimed origin to Kotoku would have linkage or relatives with the Asante Akyems.

He expressed concern about threats to peace and unity in the area by the protracted chieftaincy dispute noting that the relative calmness now does not mean that all is well.

He said there are people, who go around threatening others "as I was last Sunday threatened by one Kofi Owusu in the palace with a pistol. These developments are not healthy for the traditional area."

Oseadeeyo Frimpong-Manso reiterated the call on the government to control the volatile security situation in the traditional area.

He explained that the dispute started immediately after his enstoolment in 1999 after going through the proper customary tradition of selection.

"I was nominated by the Queenmother of the traditional area, Nana Akua Asantewaa II and duly approved by the six Kingmakers and enstooled as the Omanhene of the Akyem Kotoku Traditional area under the stool name Oseadeeyo Frimpong-Manso IV."

He said the enstoolment ceremony was violently interrupted during the swearing of oath of allegiance by sub-chiefs and a section of people opposed to him.

The Omanhene said the Attafuahs are from the Akim Bosume traditional area and settled at Kotoku to understudy their traditions as well as for protection and were never part of the royalty.

He said since the last incident, the police have not as yet arrested anybody and the culprits walk about in town and continue to threaten others while boasting that no one can touch them.

He said truth should be the yardstick of any decision that one takes and people should avoid using their seemingly influential position to perpetuate falsehood and cause mayhem.

He said the development of the traditional area is his main concern and urged all to remain calm and support him to implement his development policies to uplift the image of towns and villages under him.

"We should not use our scarce resources in protracted chieftaincy disputes to the detriment of the community."