Assin Chiano Queen Mother destooled over alleged involvement in galamsey

Traditional authorities of Assin Ayaase/Achiano in the Assin North District of the Central Region, on Saturday, performed customary rites to destool Nana Abena Kyeiwaa II, the Queen Mother for the Area.

Nana Perkoh Akwasi Awuah Gyetua, Krontihene of Assin Ayaase/Achiano, who led the destoolment rites, explained that the decision followed her alleged complicities in illegal mining activities, sand winning, and logging in the area.

He also accused the destooled Queen Mother of a series of misconducts that had violated the customs, traditions and leadership ethics of the Assin Atandansu Traditional Area.

The Krontihene cited her alleged gross violation of the customary oath of the communities by attempting to install a new Chief without consulting the kingmakers or the Asona and Bretuo royal families.

He accused her of showing blatant disregard for leadership protocol by failing to consult or collaborate with the Chief of the community, Nana Yaw Dentu II, himself as Krontihene and the royal families.

The Krontihene further accused the destooled Queen Mother of creating sharp divisions and insecurity among the royal families, which had caused significant tension and instability within the community lately.

On accountability, he noted that despite her receiving financial support from a mining company called Rock Stars, she had failed to account for the funds to the community and had persistently ignored summons and traditional protocols from the Elders to do so.

He indicated that she had shown no concern for the community’s needs, including health, roads, water, sanitation, education, power and other basic services.

Instead, he said, she had abused her authority by empowering land guards and thugs who fire guns sporadically causing fear and panic in the community.

However, in reacting to the allegations, the destooled Queen Mother denied all the accusations and explained that the Krontihene who had performed the destoolment rites had himself been destooled and held no power to act accordingly.

Nana Kyeiwaa again denied any involvement in illegal mining activities and instead accused the Krontihene of being tacitly complicit in those activities in the area.

According to her, she had prompted the Assemblyman and some elders in the community, who had agreed to inform the Assembly to flush out the illegal miners as her commitment to fighting illegal mining.

She said the Chief in the community had died and that, following incessant pressure from residents, she consulted widely as Queen Mother before installing the new Chief, whom she claimed had been accepted by all.

On the issue of lack of accountability and transparency, she denied the accusations, saying she had rendered accounts to the community in 2023 and 2024 while she had been in charge.

She also denied disobeying the directive of the Omanhen of Atandansu Traditional Area not to install a Chief; rather, she said the Omanhen had taken offence for not being informed before the installation and accordingly charged her for it, but she had since paid the amount.