Welcome, peace in Akuapem
Arku Jasmine
Editorials
Twenty years ago, three divisional chiefs of Akuapem declared that the Abotakyi Accord had been broken. That accord sealed the partnership among the divisional chiefs of Akuapem to allow the Ofori Kuma Stool in Akropong to be their Overlord.
That declaration of secession followed a communal violence between some youth of Akropong and Abiriw.
The Adonten, Nifa and Benkum divisions of Akuapem became the Akuapem Anafo, Akuapem Okere and Akuapem Guan paramountcies respectively.
When the conflict erupted between the people of Abiriw and Akropong, the three divisional chiefs unilaterally seceded from the Akuapem Traditional Area.
Their decision went contrary to the provisions in the Constitution that recognised all paramountcies in existence before the coming into force of the Constitution.
Article 270 Clause (1) says: “The institution of chieftaincy, together with its traditional councils as established by customary law and usage, is hereby guaranteed.”
This means that the councils cannot be broken without going through the same customary law and usage.
Many well-wishers did everything within their powers to bring the parties together, but to no avail.
The dispute affected development activities in the otherwise peace-loving communities of the Akuapem State whose citizens wear broad smiles even in the face of extreme provocation.
Consequently, for 20 years the divisional chiefs of Aburi, Larteh and Adukrom refused to attend the Odwira Festival of the chiefs and people of Akuapem at Akropong.
Various administrations at the district level and the Eastern Regional Co-ordinating Council tried everything within their mandate to get the parties to bury the hatchet but the parties did not move away from their entrenched positions.
The political and religious authorities did not give up. They kept faith in the mediation efforts, which yielded dividends last week when five divisional chiefs of the area signed a peace accord in Koforidua and called on other chiefs and the people of the area to dedicate themselves to maintaining peace and unity.
The Koforidua Peace Accord brings to an end the 20-year-old chieftaincy dispute that has caused deep divisions among the chiefs and the people of the area.
The five chiefs, who signed the accord, as well as the Eastern Regional Minister, Ms Helen A. Ntoso, and her team that facilitated the mediation efforts, deserve commendation for a good work done.
We recall the statement of the chiefs on the day of the signing just to remind those who are not happy with the accord to think of the larger interest of the Akuapem State.
The chiefs said: “We have come to the painful realisation that nothing has been gained through needless conflict. On the contrary, it has only created disunity, led to a waste of resources on managing the conflict, dented our cultural heritage, drawn our development aspirations back, created disenchantment and despair among our young ones and damaged the brotherly love that should bound us as one people with one destiny.”
The Akuapem State represents a good example of a peaceful environment in the entire country and when sections of the state decided to secede, it came as a surprise to many peace-loving people.
We must all be happy that the people have decided to come together after going their separate ways for 20 years.
It is very instructive that the people of Akuapem decided to smoke the peace pipe at a time when the entire country was preaching the need for peace and unity before and after the Supreme Court judgement.
Peace and unity stimulate an environment for progress, development and prosperity and it behoves everybody to work hard to uphold these key indicators of success in the society.
The Daily Graphic salutes all the people who worked tirelessly to bring the factions in the dispute in the Akuapem State together.
We call on the parties and their supporters to resolve never again to traverse the path of disunity because it retards progress.
Daily Graphic/Ghana
That declaration of secession followed a communal violence between some youth of Akropong and Abiriw.
The Adonten, Nifa and Benkum divisions of Akuapem became the Akuapem Anafo, Akuapem Okere and Akuapem Guan paramountcies respectively.
When the conflict erupted between the people of Abiriw and Akropong, the three divisional chiefs unilaterally seceded from the Akuapem Traditional Area.
Their decision went contrary to the provisions in the Constitution that recognised all paramountcies in existence before the coming into force of the Constitution.
Article 270 Clause (1) says: “The institution of chieftaincy, together with its traditional councils as established by customary law and usage, is hereby guaranteed.”
This means that the councils cannot be broken without going through the same customary law and usage.
Many well-wishers did everything within their powers to bring the parties together, but to no avail.
The dispute affected development activities in the otherwise peace-loving communities of the Akuapem State whose citizens wear broad smiles even in the face of extreme provocation.
Consequently, for 20 years the divisional chiefs of Aburi, Larteh and Adukrom refused to attend the Odwira Festival of the chiefs and people of Akuapem at Akropong.
Various administrations at the district level and the Eastern Regional Co-ordinating Council tried everything within their mandate to get the parties to bury the hatchet but the parties did not move away from their entrenched positions.
The political and religious authorities did not give up. They kept faith in the mediation efforts, which yielded dividends last week when five divisional chiefs of the area signed a peace accord in Koforidua and called on other chiefs and the people of the area to dedicate themselves to maintaining peace and unity.
The Koforidua Peace Accord brings to an end the 20-year-old chieftaincy dispute that has caused deep divisions among the chiefs and the people of the area.
The five chiefs, who signed the accord, as well as the Eastern Regional Minister, Ms Helen A. Ntoso, and her team that facilitated the mediation efforts, deserve commendation for a good work done.
We recall the statement of the chiefs on the day of the signing just to remind those who are not happy with the accord to think of the larger interest of the Akuapem State.
The chiefs said: “We have come to the painful realisation that nothing has been gained through needless conflict. On the contrary, it has only created disunity, led to a waste of resources on managing the conflict, dented our cultural heritage, drawn our development aspirations back, created disenchantment and despair among our young ones and damaged the brotherly love that should bound us as one people with one destiny.”
The Akuapem State represents a good example of a peaceful environment in the entire country and when sections of the state decided to secede, it came as a surprise to many peace-loving people.
We must all be happy that the people have decided to come together after going their separate ways for 20 years.
It is very instructive that the people of Akuapem decided to smoke the peace pipe at a time when the entire country was preaching the need for peace and unity before and after the Supreme Court judgement.
Peace and unity stimulate an environment for progress, development and prosperity and it behoves everybody to work hard to uphold these key indicators of success in the society.
The Daily Graphic salutes all the people who worked tirelessly to bring the factions in the dispute in the Akuapem State together.
We call on the parties and their supporters to resolve never again to traverse the path of disunity because it retards progress.
Daily Graphic/Ghana
