Akufo-Addo worsening chieftaincy dispute at Okuapeman – Okuapehemaa’s lawyer

The Counsel for the Nana Afua Nketia Obuo II, Paramount Queen-mother of Okuapeman, Kwaku Ansa-Asare has called out President Akufo-Addo for his comment during a courtesy call on embattled Okuapehene.

President Akufo-Addo on October 6, 2021 as part of his three-day tour of the Eastern region paid a courtesy call on Okuapehene Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo II
and said Akropong being his hometown, he owes it a duty to bring finality to the chieftaincy dispute in Okuapeman.

Okuapehene, Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo II, 35, known in private life as Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi succeeded Oseadeeyo Nana Addo Dankwa III who died seven years ago.

He was enstooled Okuapehene on May 3,2020. However, the Paramount Queenmother Nana Afua Nketiaa Obuo II and a faction in Sakyiabea Royal family are still litigating saying laid down Traditional processes were not duly followed hence the installation in their view is null and void. They are battling him at the law court and the House of Chiefs.

But according to President Akufo-Addo, the dispute will be resolved for the Okuapehene to be accepted and gazetted just as he has achieved in Yendi and Ga Traditional areas.

However, speaking to the media Monday, the counsel for the Paramount Queenmother and a claimant of the stool Odehye Kwasi Akuffo, Mr Ansa-Asare described the statement as unwarranted and unpresidential.

“As a lawyer, the President’s attention must be drawn to the fact that finality of legal dispute rests with the judiciary not the executive. That I consider to be an inappropriate remark for which the President must apologize. He subscribed to the oath to defend the Constitution. What he has done is just bringing the Constitution and judiciary under siege. He owes a duty to apologize to fellow Ghanaians,” Ansa-Asare said.

He said the statement is worsening the Okuapeman chieftaincy dispute.

According to the lawyer, his clients may be compelled to petition appropriate bodies if the President fails to retract his statement within 14 days.

“I will take the matter up to the council of state, the Judicial Council and then the national house of chiefs because these are the three Institutions that directly come under siege as a result of the President’s unwarranted remarks. The remarks were unprecedented and unpresidential”.