By; Michael Foli Jackidy
Some chiefs and people of Weta Traditional Area in the Ketu North municipality of the Volta region have declared their support and allegiance to Togbuiga Akpo Ashiakpor VI, the Paramount Chief and Overlord of Weta Traditional Area.
Torgbuiga Tetekpa II, the Assistant Secretary of Weta Traditional Area, in a press conference held at Weta on Friday, March 29, stated that Togbuiga Akpo underwent all the necessary rituals and was gazetted by the Volta Regional House of Chiefs as the rightful lord over Weta Traditional Area.
According to them, Togbuiga Akpo was the only legitimate, gazetted, and rightful chief who would bring improvement and development to the area.
“We installed and flaunted Togbuiga Akpo Ashiakpor VI on Saturday, December 23, 2017, after vetting as demanded by the customs of Ashiakpor Royal family,” he stated.
He further stated that per the dictates of the chieftaincy Act, 2008 (Act 759), section 63 (6) and the code of Royal ethics for chiefs, clause 3.4.2, it was an affront and a grievous attack on the chieftaincy institution for any chiefs to usurp positions that they are not entitled to by customs.
He said the Weta Council of Chiefs, under the leadership of Torgbuiga Akpo Ashiakpor VI, also members of the Volta regional House of Chiefs, would pursue and use all available legal means to foster peace and unity in the area.
“The status quo ante (the previously existing state of affairs), therefore, is that Torgbuiga Akpo Ashikpor VI was validly nominated or selected and legitimately installed and out-doored according to the custom and tradition of Weta Traditional Area.”
Torgbuiga Tetekpa indicated that he and his colleague chiefs would support Togbuiga Akpo Ashiakpor to perform all administrative rites relating to chieftaincy in the traditional area until a court of competent jurisdiction directed otherwise.
Present at the occasion were Mamaga Ablewor IV of Weta, Torgbui Adze Ill, Torgbuiga Tsetseku Seshie IV, and Togbui Adukpo IV, among others.
Meanwhile, in an earlier press statement by Torgbuiga Ashiagbor IV, ‘Dusifiaga’ of Weta Traditional Area, has petitioned the Volta regional House of Chiefs and the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs to reconsider the inauguration of the Weta Traditional Council until all chieftaincy issues were settled within the area.
They urged all citizens to remain calm and work hard to ensure the physical and socio-economic development of the traditional area.
