The youth groups of the Ngleshie Alata Traditional at James Town in Accra, have renewed a call on Minister of Local Government and Religious Affairs, Honourable Ahmed Ibrahim to investigate
the President of Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs (GARHC), Oboade Notse King Professor Odaifio Welentsi III on the going paramount chieftaincy disputes in the area.
They pointed out that the Minister’s quest for the chiefs and queenmothers to fight against the rampant killing and shooting incidents in relation to chieftaincy disputes can be achieved if the sector Minister set-up a committee to investigate the Paramount of Nungua and leadership of GARHC.
They blamed the ongoing Ngleshie Paramount Royal Stool chieftaincy dispute following the killing of Chief priest of Ngleshie Alata Paramountcy, Nii Ayitey Konko V on the current leadership of the GARHC at Dodowa headed by Oboade Notse King Professor Odaifio Welentsi III.
They bemoaned that Nii Ayitey Konko V, who until his demise served as chief priest of the Ngleshie Alata parmountcy, was shot dead by unknown assailants around 7:15 am Friday, September 27, adjecent his place of abode at the Ngleshie Traditional Stool Palace, Mantse Agbonaa park at James Town in Accra.
They indicated that despite reporting to the Greater Accra regional police command that he constantly receives threats, and even reminded the police on 19th September, a family member who spoke to this paper, said no action was taken until the deceased was murdered in broad day light.
They pointed out that the Minister’s quest for the chiefs and queenmothers to fight against the rampant killing and shooting incidents in relation to chieftaincy disputes can be achieved if the sector Minister set up committee to investigate the Nungua Mantse and leadership of GARHC.
They took a swipe at President of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs for imposing Prince Asharku Bruce-Quaye on them as the Paramount Chief of Ngleshie Alata Traditional Area since he doesn’t have capacity to ascend the throne of Ngleshie Alata Paramount Royal Stool of James Town in Accra.
They stresed the need for the sector Minister to use his good office to caution Nungua Mantse to desist from supporting Prince Asharku Bruce-Quaye, advising that the Sector Minister should not allow Prince Asharku Bruce-Quaye and Nungua Mantse convince him.
Raising concerns over the legitimacy of Wetse Kojo II, originally known as Prince Asharku Bruce Quaye, the groups stresed the need for the sector Minister to use his good office to caution Nungua Mantse to desist from supporting Prince Asharku Bruce-Quaye.
“We are aware that since the Sector Minister is currently putting pressure advising the chiefs and queenmothers in the Ga State to find lasting solutions to the rampant killing and shooting incidents, including chieftaincy disputes, some tradtional office holders would come to your office to peddle lies of the issues which would be in favour to score their agendas.
“But we calling on the Minister of Local Government and Religious Affairs, Honourable Ahmed Ibrahim to intervene in the matter and investigate Nungua Mantse because he was earlier on attempted to lure the Acting President of Ngleshie Alata Traditional Area, Nii Okpe II to sign the Chietaincy Declaration Forms of Prince Asharku Bruce-Quaye.
We are appealing to the Minister to sanction the country’s anti crime investigative bodies including the Economic Organisation Crime Office (EOCO), Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and Office of Special Prosecutor to investigate President of GARHC on where he has gotten the Chieftaincy Declaration forms of Prince Asharku-Bruce Quaye from before he attempted to lure Nii Okpe II to sign the forms to be presented to the National House of Chiefs in Kumasi to gazzette Prince Asharku Bruce-Quaye as the Paramount Chief of the Ngleshie Alata Traditional Area,” they stated.
They entreated the sector Minister to ask the President of GARHC to ask him who signed and endorsed the Chieftaincy Declaration forms for Prince Ashiaku Bruce-Quaye before he sent it to the National House of Chiefs to secure his chieftaincy gazette.
They stressed that; “The Minister must also ask Nungua Mantse why he disobey the court order and went ahead to endorse and subsequently push the Chieftaincy Declaration forms of Prince Ashiaku Bruce Quaye to the National House of Chiefs, making him to be gazzeted and inducted into the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs at Dodowa.
They revealed how the leadership of GARHC to disobey various court orders restraining Prince Asharku Bruce-Quaye to stop holding himself as the paramount chief in Ngleshie Alata Traditional before the GARHC went ahead to induct Prince Asharku Bruce-Quaye into GARHC, explaining that Prince Asharku Bruce-Quaye is not James Town Mantse.
They stated that Prince Bruce Quaye does not come from any of the royal families, and his own family members have dissociated themselves from the ongoing chieftaincy dispute in the paramountcy but rather hail from Anumansa,
Kweikuma Tsoshishi.
The family said the Dodowa case Suit No. GARHC/P5/2020 at the Judicial Committee of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs barred Mr. Bruce Quaye from holding himself as the paramount chief in the area.
“We wouldn’t fathom why Oboade Notse King Professor Odaifio Welentsi III would disobey the court order on Prince Bruce Quaye not to hold himself as a Paramount of Ngleshie Alata Traditional Area, reiterating Prince Asharku Bruce-Quaye is not a royal, nor does he come from the two royal gates where the chief of Jamestown, Ngleshie Alata, is considered,” they argued.
“Why is it that Oboade Notse King Professor Odaifio Welentsi III has violated the order from the court and decide to do their own things which has led to the illegal induction of Asharku Bruce-Quaye into the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs as Paramount of Ngleshie Alata Paramount Royal Stool,” they asked.
“It seems like Oboade Notse King Professor Odaifio Welentsi III has put aside the order from the court, thinking that they have power than the court of competent jurisdiction,” the groups stated.
They pointed out how Oboade Notse King Professor Odaifio Welentsi III has attempted to persuade the Acting President of Ngleshie Alata Traditional Council, Nii Armah Kwaofio II to sign the Chieftaincy Declaration (CD) form for Prince Ashiaku Bruce Quaye.
They revealed how Oboade Notse King Professor Odaifio Welentsi III invited Nii Armah Kwaofio II (when he was then the Chairman of the GARHC Research Committee) through the Registrar of GARHC, Mr. Addo Enoch to his house at Nungua in Accra.
They noted that when Nii Armah Kwaofio II honoured the invitation of GARHC’s President to his house at Nungua, the prominent Ga Chief ordered him [Nii Armah Kwaofio Il] to sign the CD forms to give the traditional legal backing for Prince Ashiaku Bruce Quaye to be gazetted into the register of the chiefs as the Paramount Chief of Ngleshie Alata Traditional Area.
In order to support these illegalities, they noted that Nii Armah Kwaofio II has refused to sign the CD Form for Prince Ashiaku Bruce Quaye and returned home with the reason that the purported installation of Prince Ashiaku Bruce Quaye, who declared himself as the paramount chief of the Ngleshie Alata Traditional is still remains illegal and unlawful.
Although GARHC’s President didn’t succeed in pursuing Nii Armah Kwaofio to sign the CD form for Prince Ashiaku Bruce Quaye, they had adopted other strategies to influence some non-royals of James Town Royal Paramount Stool to sign the CD Forms for Prince Ashiaku Bruce Quaye, making him to fraudulently secure his chieftaincy gazette, which was rejected by majority of chiefs, elders and kingmakers in James Town and its satellite rural areas in Accra.
They, have strongly condemned the recent induction of Prince Asharku Bruce-Quaye into GARHC as Paramount Chief of Ngleshie Alata Traditional Area, explaining that Prince Asharku Bruce-Quaye is not James Town Mantse.
Consequently, they accused Nungua Mantse of supporting illegalities of Prince Asharku Bruce-Quaye, which situation has created division, tension, insecurity and confusion within Ngleshie Alata Traditional Area.
They indicated that It is therefore absurd and unconscionable to any right thinking person to fathom the reasoning behind what the representatives of traditional areas of Accra in the Regional House of Chiefs and their President have done.
According to them, the GARHCs and their President are very much aware of the numerous courts’ cases both civil and traditional ( a current case is in the Kumasi High Court) against Prince Asharku Bruce- Quaye but intentionally went ahead unperturbed to register him among the chiefs recognized by that house.
“Why? What is the reason behind this? How sad. By this act, it has become very clear that the Regional House of Chiefs wants the people of
Ngleshie Alata to fight among themselves and kill each other.
“It is amazing to consider for example, an individual from Osu a completely different clan, to be enstooled a chief in Nungua another different clan.
“This is absurd. As already stated supra, Prince Asharku Bruce- Quaye hails from Anumansa otherwise known as Kweikuma Tsoshishi a clan within James Town, but not Adanse Clan.He has no relation in Adanse Clan why is Prince Asharku Bruce- Quaye forcing himself to be seen as an Adanse clan subject,” the youth clarified.
They described the induction as illegal and fraudulent,citing ongoing legal disputes over Bruce-Quaye’s legitimacy.
They provided historical documentary proof to support their claim that Prince Asharku Bruce-Quaye installation was done without following due customary and traditional procedures and that he does not belong to the rightful ruling royal house,Adanse Mantse We, which is next in line to produce a paramount chief.
Accordibg to them, there are two ruling houses in James Town and explained that these two houses provide the paramount chief on a rotational basis.
“Now, Prince Asharku- Bruce Quaye does not even meet the first criteria for selection. He does not hail from any of these two ruling houses. Prince Asharku Bruce-Quaye comes from Anumansa also known as Kwei Kuma Tsoshishi. That basically disqualifies him. Now let us look at the rites he claims he has gone through to become a so called paramount chief.
“We have heard that he was nominated by Nii Saki Akumea who was not even clothe with that capacity because there was no consultation whatsoever with the king makers in Ngleshie Alata Paramount Royal Stool,” they stated.
They also accused Bruce-Quaye of forcefully breaking into the James Town Stool Room to undergo unlawful rites, further invalidating his claim to the title.
They called on the Regional House of Chiefs to reverse his induction, warning that failure to do so could lead to unrest.
With multiple court cases challenging his legitimacy, the youth groups of Ngleshie Alata youth insistsed that any attempt to impose Bruce-Quaye on the people of Ngleshie Alata Traditional Area will be met with legal action.
They cautioned all those involved in trying to force Prince Asharku Quaye on Ngleshie Alata to stop what they are doing and allow the proper customary and traditional things to be done, otherwise there is a real potential of serious trouble erupting.
They fumed that “We will use all options available to us including legal options reverse what has been done and revert back to the status quo ante.”
They appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to impress upon the Minister of Local Government and Religious, the Inspector General of Police, and the various security agencies to have an interest in matters ongoing in Ngleshie Alata.
The groups have made reference to the ongoing chieftaincy dispute in Bawku and that they were calling on President John Dramani Mahama to ensure the amicable resolution of the ongoing chieftaincy disputes at Ngleshie Alata Traditional Area.
They argued that the recent gazette given to Prince Quaye for the Ngleshie Jamestown paramountcy is a clear case of fraudulent and corrupt practices by the GARCH and National House of Chiefs headed by the Paramount Chief of Sefwi Anhwiaso Traditional Area, Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II.
“It is a fact that there is ongoing case pending before court by Nii Okpe family against Prince Asharku Bruce-Quaye, challenging the chieftaincy status of Prince Ashiaku Bruce-Quaye.
“However, per the law of Ghana if there is a chieftaincy dispute case pending before court against you, such person is required to stop or restricted of holding himself as a chief in the area. But in this case Oboade Notse King Professor Odaifio Welentsi III and his followers have disrespected the order from the court,” the groups stated.
In this sense, the groups further stressed the need for Oboade Notse King Professor Odaifio Welentsi III to be thoroughly investigated and that his actions are inactions are causing big problems in the Ga State.
They emphasized that the Sector Minister should investigate to ensure the President of the GARHC eliminate the name of Prince Bruce-Quaye from both registers of GARHC and NHC.
According to them, it is high time for the sector Minister to advise Oboade Notse King Professor Odaifio Welentsi III to stop allowing Prince Asharku Bruce-Quaye to attend meetings in GARHC at Dodowa in the capacity of paramount chief of Ngleshie Alata Traditional Area.
Youth Thanked Minister
The groups thanked the Minister of Local Government and Religious Affairs for advising the chiefs and queenmothers including other traditional office holders to ensure the prevention of the ongoing shooting and killing incidents in the Ga State.
According to them, the advises offered by Minister to the chiefs and queenmothers s in right direction.
They lamented that the killings of innocent souls in the justed ended 2024 Homowo Festival ceremony at Omanjor,n Teshie in Ga State had created disunity, tension and insecurity in Ga State which situation is currently threatening investors confidence in Accra.
Pix:Prince Asharku Bruce-Quaye, Nungua Mantse and Minister of Local Government and Religious Affairs
