Elmina fishermen threaten to cause mayhem

Elmina, June 10, GNA - Canoe Owners and Fishermen Association at Elmina have threatened to disrupt the Edina "Bakatue" Festival if the Omanhen of Edina Traditional Area, Nana Kodwo Conduah VI, make any attempt to celebrate it by parading the destooled Chief Fisherman, Nana Jojo Solomon. The festival is celebrated first week in July.

They said they had made several attempts to present a new Chief Fisherman to Nana Conduah but he refused to allow him to swear before him (Nana Conduah) because of his support for Nana Solomon.

Mr. Robert Mensah, the Secretary for the Association, said at a press conference on Wednesday that failure of the Omanhen to recognize the new Chief Fisherman, Nana Egya Akonu, was their bone of contention. He said rituals leading to the celebration of the festival were ongoing and it would require the involvement of the new Chief Fisherman. Mr Mensah said the peace would be disrupted if the Omanhen insisted on celebrating the festival.

"We will resist with all seriousness any attempt to parade Nana Solomon as the Chief Fisherman," they said. Mr. Mensah said Nana Solomon was destooled in September last year by the Association because he had since 2004, failed to render accounts of his stewardship to the Association. He said Nana Solomon summoned the Association to the Cape Coast High Court where the case was ruled against him in March. Mr Mensah said having won the case the Association elected Nana Akonu and all efforts to introduce him to the Omanhen had failed.