James Town sets up Council to manage its assets

Principal Elders of James Town, Ngleshie Alata Traditional Area, have taken a step further, to streamline the asset management of the ancient coastal community by inaugurating an eleven-member Council to effect the change.

The Council, chaired by the Chief of Anumansa Division of James Town and Principal Elder of Ajumanko Dawurampong Royal Family, Nii Kweikuma IV, has other members including Chief of Adansi Division, James Town, Nii Sackey Akumea (Vice Chairman), Head of Hanson Family, James Town, Nii Hanson (Treasurer), Chief of Plerno Division, James Town, Nii Ardenkpa VII (Asst. Treasurer), Daniel Nii Arde Tagoe (Secretary) and Nii Odarlai Bruce (Asst. Secretary).

The rest are: the Senior High Priest of Anumansa Division and James Town, Numo Bordai III, Head of Trome Family of James Town, Mr. Charles Heward Mills, Stool Father of James Town, Nii Appiah V, a kingmaker of James Town, Nii Sampa Kojo and the Senior High Priestess of Anumansa Division of James Town, Banafo Baakan.

The move by the Principal Elders of James Town comes exactly a month after securing an interlocutory injunction from the High Court to restrain their Paramount Chief, Nii Kojo Ababio V, and his agents, workmen and representatives from “alienating or disposing of land(s) of James Town Stool.”

The Principal Elders’ Council has been tasked to study the expectations of overseas members of the James Town Stool as well as the role that the people of the ancient coastal community could play in the economic, social and technological advancement of the area.

The Council is also expected to examine the current traditional, cultural and administrative machinery that governs the people and bridge the developmental gaps that are apparent in the customary functionaries of the James Town Stool.

It is also expected to make recommendations on measures to resolve the problems faced by the James Town Traditional Area and more importantly, the Ngleshie Alata Stool.

At the inauguration ceremony in Accra last week Thursday, Chairman of the Principal Elders’ Council, Nii Kweikuma IV, told journalists that their intervention meant the end of poverty, ignorance, and inequality of opportunity.

“We end today, a period of ill-future and James Town will discover her lost paradise once again. The achievement we celebrate today is just a step, an opening of opportunity to greater achievements that await us. Freedom and power brings responsibility,” he declared.

He said for the past thirty-five (35) years, the people of James Town have suffered injustice under the 94-year-old occupant of the Stool of the area, Nii Kojo Ababio V.

He said the living standards of the people of James Town are nothing to write home about due to lack of developmental projects.

He alleged that the conduct of Nii Kojo Ababio V has compelled some of the James Town villages to detach their allegiance to the stool for failing to support and defend their rights within the area.

Further to that, Nii Kojo Ababio V, is alleged to have sidelined the legitimate chiefs and principal elders of the seven quarters of James Town which form the legitimate quorum for the traditional council and rather appointed his faithful(s) to assist in governing the area.

Royals and distinguished personalities of James Town, according to Nii Kweikuma IV, have over the years been denied access to the Royal Mausoleum and with the area being a thoroughfare for family members and in-laws of the Paramount Chief.

What was more worrying, Nii Kweikuma IV argued, was the sale of stool properties of which the proceeds end up in the private bank account of Nii Kojo Ababio V to the detriment of the community.

Owing to the above mentioned deeds of the Paramount Chief, the Chairman of the Principal Elders’ Council said they had no option than to seek for redress at the law court.

He said with the Council now in place, their immediate responsibility is the organisation of the major final funeral right of their deceased chiefs and principal elders which has been ignored by the occupant of the Stool since 1978 to date.

Additionally, they would convert the Plaza Cinema to James Town community center, construct a modern night market, construct a well-equipped modern abattoir with cold storage facilities, and construct a library, a clinic, a nursery, kindergarten and a primary school for the people.

That notwithstanding, they would construct a modern and well equipped public place of convenience, recreational centers, research library and rehabilitate the harbor landing beach.

Furthermore, they would establish a training school solely to upgrade the Chiefs, Queen Mothers, Principal Elders and Officers of the Stool in the following subject modules; Role of God in tradition; Leadership (Traditional and Organisational); Diplomacy; International Relations; and Local governance.