General News of Wednesday, 10 October 2012

Source: Daily Guide

Otumfuo Destools 4 Chiefs

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has destooled four divisional chiefs of Adansi Dompoase traditional area for rebelling against their chief, Kofi Sabin Kan II, ending years of agitation amidst a catalogue of allegations.

Nana Bosompem Kitikyie II, Nana Dwuma Antwi III, Nana Twum Ampofo II and Nana Kwame Abu II, Krontihene, Twafohene, Benkumhene and Gyaasehene respectively of Adansi Dompoase were asked not to dare step foot at the Dompoase palace as chiefs.

At a packed council meeting at the Dompoase Palace on Monday, Okofo Sobin Kan announced that the overlord of Asanteman has also asked the four divisional chiefs not to hold themselves as such anywhere, since he (Otumfuo) could not work with them.

The Dompoase chief, who was also the Acting President of Adansi Traditional Council, said Otumfuo found the agitation and a catalogue of destoolment charges against him by the said chiefs unmeritorious.

According to him, customary rites to that effect were performed at the Manhyia Palace on Thursday October 2012, where the four had gone to ask the Asantehene to oust him in accordance with Asante’s tradition to signify their destoolment.

Nana Twum Ampofo II, Nana Kwame Abu II and Nana Dwuma Antwi supported, by a section of the royal lineage, in February this year, slaughtered a white ram at the ‘Adiee Buoho’ of the Dompoase palace to destool their chief.

They have accused Nana Sobin Kan of sowing the seed of confusion and litigation in the traditional area through what they considered to be rampant sales of plots of land to private developers without plot numbers and site plans.

The sub-chiefs also accused Nana Sobin Kan, the Acting President of Adansi traditional area, of having received huge sums of money as compensation on behalf of the Adansi-Dompoase traditional area from AngloGold Ashanti last year, which he failed to disclose to Nananom the quantum involved.

Otumfuo dismissed the accusations levelled against Okofo Sobin Kan II, describing them as unmeritorious because they lacked substance and empirical evidence.

Meanwhile, the chief has called on his subjects and Nananom to remain calm as there was no cause for alarm.

He gave them full assurance of his commitment to ensure development of the traditional area, charging those behind sales of lands under his jurisdiction to stop.