AKUAPEM CHIEFS RESOLVE TO RE-UNITE (PAGE 12, JAN 15, 2011)

ALL the chiefs in the Akuapem Traditional Area have resolved to go by a roadmap initiated by the out-going Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo to re-unite them.
Some chiefs in the area have since 1994 severed their relationship with the Akuapem Paramountcy, headed by Oseadeoyo Addo Dankwa III over a number of issues.
And to help bring the chiefs together, Mr Ofosu Ampofo with the support of Akuapem citizens resident in the United States and Canada last year, crafted a roadmap under which a number of reconciliatory meetings would be held to iron out their grievances in that respect.
That was after the Regional Minister and some of the chiefs such as the Aburihene, Otoobuor Gyan Kwasi, Mamfehene, Osabarima Ansa Sasraku and others visited the two North American countries to seek the support of Akuapems living there.
At a breakfast meeting organised by the Regional Minister at his official residence which was attended by the chiefs at Koforidua recently, the chiefs appreciated the role being played by Mr Ofosu Ampofo and resolved to give him the necessary support to re-unite the Akuapem Kingdom, described as the pinnacle of education in the region.
Setting the ball rolling, the Regional Minister said it was unfortunate that chiefs in the once united Akuapem State noted for discipline and education “should go their own ways”, adding that such a disturbing situation had slowed down the area’s development.
He said since Akuapems in the diaspora had united and contributing to the development of their homeland, it was necessary for the chiefs to come together for the same purpose.
He therefore appealed to them to put their differences aside and to embrace his reconciliatory initiatives for the re-unification of the Akuapem State.
The Krontihene of Akuapem, Osahene Kwasi Agyeman IV, who was the first chief to speak, said chiefs in the area should tolerate one another’s view, pointing out that this would go a long way in bringing back the bond of friendship and consequently re-unite them.
In his contribution, the Aburihene, Otoobuor Gyan Kwasi, called for justice and fair play in all deliberations since a number of grievances had to be addressed.
The Chief of Mamfe, Osabarima Ansa Sasraku, in his contribution asked his colleagues not to add colour to any deliberation on the issue since that had the tendency of derailing the roadmap.
For his part, the Chief of Larteh, Osabarima Asiedu Okoo, said most of the rules adopted over a century ago to put Akuapem together were archaic and did not conform to the present day and must therefore be done away with before any meaningful headway could be made.
When it came to his turn, the Okerehene, Osuodumgya Otutu Kono III, expressed his displeasure for not being included in the delegation to the US and Canada and said despite that, he welcomed the Ofosu Ampofo’s peace overtures to re-unite them since they could not solve their own problem.
The Chairman of the Akuapem Presbytery, who is also the Chairman of the Eastern Region Peace Council, Rev (Dr) J.O.Y. Mantey, and the Catholic Bishop of the Koforidua Diocese, Rt Rev Joseph Agyekum Afrifa, gave ecclesiastical blessing to the re-unification process and indicated that they would do their best in that regard.