Asante Akim South marks independence celebration

Juaso (Ash), March 7, GNA - The Asante Akim South district marked this year's independence day celebration amidst heavy security presence to avert an imminent clash between the two feuding factions in the chieftaincy dispute that has engulfed Juaso over the years.

A team of policemen from Juaso, Konongo, Agogo and Kumasi were deplored at Juaso Township to ensure a peaceful celebration of the event. An uneasy calm engulfed the township in the early hours of Monday morning as rumours made the rounds that Nana Kwasi Achiaw Prempeh, the destooled Juasohene was contemplating to attend the event despite an order from the Ashanti regional police command debarring him from doing so. The funct ion which was scheduled to have started at 0900 hours began about three hours late as the police, as well as the district Co-ordinating Director, Mr, Michael Attaogye tried to prevent a group of youth from fomenting trouble.

The group had gathered in front of the post office en-route to the venue of the function to prevent Nana Safrotwie Sarpong, the Juasohene from attending the function.

According to them since Nana Prempeh had been debarred from attending the function they saw no reason in allowing Nana Sarpong to represent the town as their chief because they did not recognise him as such. However, an unimpeachable source close to the district assembly told the Ghana News Agency that, Nana Sarpong was officially invited to grace the occasion in his capacity as the chief of Juaso.

It took the police over an hour to convince the irate youth to rescind their decision to confront Nana Sarpong and his elders.

Nonetheless, the arrival of the contingent of adequately armed policemen at the venue of the programme saw school children running helter skelter, further delaying the function as frustrated teachers of the various schools tried to re-organise their schools. Also compounding the already chaotic situation was the fact that parents, upon hearing an exaggerated account of the situation at their homes and market places rushed to the venue and whisked away their wards to "safety".

The situation was, however, brought under control about an hour later paving the way for the beginning of the programme minutes after the district chief executive had arrived.