The Ada Traditional Council has allegedly deceived the National Security apparatus in a calculated attempt to prevent citizens from exercising their constitutional right to protest.
The Council is said to have orchestrated this move to halt a planned mass demonstration by chiefs and residents of Ada against the Council’s dealings, which many have described as attempts to “enslave” the Ada State under the guise of attracting investors.
Barely 24 hours before the much-anticipated protest scheduled for June 26, 2025 — which had already been approved by the Ghana Police Service — key figures from the Ada Traditional Council reportedly approached National Security with misleading claims. Conveners for the intended demonstration revealed that, Nene Agudey Obitchere (Manklalo of Ada), Naana Adikie (Queen of the Adibiawe Clan), and Mettle Nunoo (Registrar of the Ada Traditional Council) clandestinely traveled to Accra to lobby National Security to halt the protest.
The source alleged that the trio falsely claimed that Nene Ada had requested the suspension of the protest to allow the performance of traditional rituals ahead of this year’s Asafotufiami Festival. However, the source insisted that this claim was misleading, pointing out that all clans, including the Okor Clans, perform their own rituals in the lead-up to the festival, and these have never interfered with the right of citizens to demonstrate.
Critics say the actions of the Council amount to deceit of public and security institutions — an act that may constitute an offence under Ghanaian law.
The decision stunned police officials, who had earlier engaged the protest conveners and approved the proposed routes and date. Nevertheless, the police were left with no option but to suspend the demonstration indefinitely.