Traditional Council threatens to take Govt to court

The Adansi Traditional Council is threatening court action against the government for defaulting in the payment of billions of cedis owed it in mineral royalties. The council says it needs the money to enable it carry out development to ensure the socio-economic emancipation of its citizenry.

According to the Council, government owes them over 7 billion cedis in mineral royalties alone, which has accumulated for over two years now adding this has compelled the traditional authority to remain dormant.

Narrating their grievances to the Network Herald last month, shortly after the presentation of 30 million cedis bursaries to 60 brilliant but needy citizen of Adansi, the spokesman of the council Nana Adu Ampoti Dwaa II who is also Krontihene of Bodwesango said the Council has petitioned the president on two occasions who on both occasions, instructed the finance minister Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo to pay up but the Minister allegedly declined to pay the full arrears.

He said the Council first petitioned the president on March 2001, and he (President Kufuor) directed the finance minister to honour payment but only ?500 million of the amount was paid.

According to him the spokesman, the council, not satisfied with the amount, followed up again to the castle where upon discussions, the finance minister paid ?700 million instead of the full amount again.

The council threatened government last year of legal action if the royalties were not paid. It appealed to the president to use his high office to call the finance minister to order and ensure the full payment of the money to help them engender developments in the area.