Assemblyman rendered redundant by chieftaincy dispute

Denu (V/R), Aug. 5, GNA - Mr Francis Bedzo, Assembly Member for Denu in the Ketu-South District, is torn between two bickering chieftaincy litigants in the area, with each side demanding he shunned the other or remain redundant.

Both factions in the dispute have sent letters to Mr Bedzo asking him not to deal with its opponent or organize any activity or cause gong-gong to beaten to rally the community for any function. Mr Bedzo told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) during a meeting of some stakeholders to discuss the development of the area, that he was unable to perform his advocacy and other roles as an assembly member. He said the families, which were laying claim to one stool, were adamant and not ready to hear anything about the other side. Mr Bedzo said both sides would do everything to obviate any development project deemed to be initiated with the support of the other.

"Both sides in separate actions have ordered that my office should not organize any meeting or cause a gong-gong to be beaten without their prior approval, thereby putting my authority under siege," he lamented. Mr Bedzo said both sides had written to him to render account of his stewardship and was wondering whom to account to. He observed that chieftaincy disputes, like what was happening in his area, slowed down development and should be avoided citing an instance where a sanitation project originally started in the area had to be moved to Afife because the two sides could not agree on who owned the land. 05 Aug. 09