The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Ishmael Ashitey has suddenly called-off a scheduled courtesy call on the supposed newly installed Ga Mantse, Dr. Kelvin Tackie.
Information gathered revealed that the courtesy call was tersely called off at the last minute when the Regional Minister was informed about the illegalities surrounding the installation of the new GA Mantse.
The illegalities and the uncustomary means by which the new GA Mantse was installed however raised tensions whilst some factions within the Ga community who were against the installation of Dr. Kelvin Tackie had planned to cause mayhem during the Minister’s visit.
Interestingly, Journalists who were called to provide media coverage for the event were asked to go back after waiting several hours at the offices of the Regional Minister.
Addressing journalists present of the sudden change of the event, Public Relations Officer of Regional Coordinating Council, Madam Yaa Boateng said, “the grounds were not good” hence the change in the programme.
King Dr Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru was on last week Saturday installed as the new Ga Mantse after having undergone customary purification rites at the Nungua Gborbu Wulomlo Shrine.
This ceremony was later declared as a nullity by the GA Abola Dzasetse, Nii Okai Awua II, who said the Gborbu Wulomo has no capacity to install a GA Mantse hence the recent installation he conducted for the purported installation of Dr Kelvin Tackie as GA Mantse is unacceptable and uncustomary.He also indicated that the Justice V.C.R.C Crabbe report which the so-called Kingmakers acted upon was never put before Parliament for debate or consideration as was done in the Dagbon Chieftaincy dispute and for that matter are not binding in any way.Nii Okai Awua II said that at the time of the setting up of the commission, there were cases pending before the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs as well as the High Court.
Nii Okai Awuah II also averred that since Boni Nii Tackie Adama Latse is currently holding himself as Ga Mantse with a gazette which has not been nullified, any other Installation done to that position of GA Mantse is null and void and is of no legal and customary consequence.
He also explained that a 29 March 2005 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which was signed by all the ruling houses to the effect of the installation of GA Mantse, was never made available to the Justice V.C.R.C. Crabe Commission.According to that MoU, it was agreed that “the customary Mantse (cloth) from the said Ruling House (Amugi We) shall be delivered to the Elder and Representative of Abola Piam We for the Ga Mantse elect according to the recognized customary Rotation Succession.”The MoU also indicated clearly that Nii Tackie Tawiah II ruled from 1944 – 1947, Nii Tackey Kommey II also took over as Ga Mantse from 1948 – 1962 and Nii Amugi II also ruled from 1965 – 2004 all these three Kings were from Teiko Tsuru We, Tackey Kommey We and Nii Amugi We respectively.“So all these three Royal Ruling Houses had their turn including Reiko Tsuru We, where Dr Kelvin Tackie hails from. This is the turn of Abola Piam We and nobody can revert that,” he said.
He also stressed that the installation of Dr Kelvin Tackie was carried out by illegitimate persons who have no capacity to install a GA Mantse.
Also throwing more light on Nii Okai Awuah II’s position as far as the Abola Piam Royal House is concern, the Ga Dzaasetse, Nii Yaotey Oto-Ga also in a press statement on Wednesday stated that King Tackie Adama II still remains the only Ga Mantse.
He stated in that statement that publications by both print and electronic media on the introduction of King Dr Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru as Ga Mantse “should be treated with the contempt it deserves”.
He indicated that: “King Tackie Adama Latse II, the Ga Mantse was nominated, elected and enstooled Ga Mantse to succeed the late Boni Nii Amugi II in accordance with the customs, traditions, conventions and usages of the Ga state in 2011.”
Meanwhile, whilst no clear reasons were given by the Regional Coordinating Council for the cancellation of the planned visit by the Regional Minister to the newly installed Ga Mantse, many people believe the explanations and facts provided by the Nii Okai Awuah II and Yaotey Oto-Ga were too explicit for the Minister to ignore.
Meanwhile, investigations into the real reasons of the calling-off of the planned courtesy call.
Readers will be informed on who stopped the Regional Minister, why was he stopped and the reasons for that. Keep Reading.
By: PROSPER AGBENYEGA