B/A House of Chiefs dismisses petition against Wenchihene

Sunyani, Nov 19, GNA - Brong-Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs has dismissed a petition filed by Nana Atoaa Samangyedua III, Queen mother of Wenchi Traditional Council and three other kingmakers to restrict Nana Kwadwo Nyam Nketia VII from holding himself as Omanhene of the traditional area.

A three-member panel presided over by Nana Asor Nkrawiri II, Omanhene of Sunyani Traditional Council, said Nana Nketia should hence forth be considered as the rightful Omanhene of Wenchi Traditional Council under the stool name Nana Kwadwo Nyam Nketia V11. The House ordered that all the stool regalia in possession of the Queen mother be handed over to the Gyasehene of the traditional area and awarded 2,500 Ghana cedis cost against the petitioners.

The petition, filed in the House on June 12, 2006, stated that the Queen mother was the rightful person to nominate a candidate to the kingmakers of the traditional council to be installed as the Omanhene whenever the office of the paramount stool became vacant. The petitioners Nana Samangyedua III, Nana Dr Abrefa Mensah Abrampa, Abakomahene, Nana Owusu Achiaw Kusi III, Akrafohene and Oheneba Dr. Krabiri Boateng I, Jumakwahene, said on June 6, 2006 Nana Owusu Ansah Kokroko, Krontihene and Nana Kumi Adusi Poku, Gyasihene of Wenchi and some other divisional chiefs asked the Queen mother to nominate a candidate for the kingmakers to be installed as the successor to the late Nana Abrefa Mbore Bediatuo VI.

The petition said the Queen mother agreed and promised to nominate a candidate within three weeks but Nana Owusu Ansah Kokroko and Nana Poku and other divisional and sub chiefs of the area later went to Madam Abena Frema Atuahehene, an imbecile old woman of the royal family and an ordinary person of the stool to nominate Nana Nketia to be the Omanhene. The petitioners explained that Madam Frema Atuahene, who did not have the right to nominate, nominated Nana Nketia to be sworn in as the successor to the late Nana Mbore Bediatuo. The petition said the conduct of the respondents was illegal and unlawful and contrary to the customs and practices of the chieftaincy institution in Ghana.

"The attempt by Nana Kokroko and Nana Poku to swear in Nana Nketia as the Omanhene of Wenchi is contrary to the laws, customs and practices of the people of Wenchi," the petition said and asked the House to restrain them from installing Nana Nketia as Omanhene of the area. The respondents, Nana Nketia, Nana Owusu Kokroko and Nana Kumi Adusi Poku explained that the Gyasehene consulted the royals who after deliberations appointed Madam Frema Atuahene to nominate a candidate since the Queen mother had shirked her responsibility and refused to nominate a candidate. "Madam Fremah is not an imbecile old woman but an old royal with a walking disability in full control of her mental faculties and to whom Nana Nketia from time to time delegates some of her traditional roles when she travels," the respondents said. The respondents said by Wenchi customs, what the royals and the Gyasehene did with respect to the nomination was proper and lawful. "Other relevant customary practices were followed and accordingly on June 12, 2006 Nana Nketia was duly enstooled as Wenchihene with the stool name of Nana Abrefa Kwadwo Nketia V11," the respondents said. 19 Nov 08