Kumasi: NDC chair runs amok

The Abuakwa Police in the Ashanti Region have commenced investigations into circumstances under which a former Regional Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Frank Osei Mensah, allegedly led a team of macho men to embark on an illegal demolition exercise at Sepaase, destroying buildings and breaking into a Stool House belonging to Royals of the area.

Mr. Osei Mensah is reportedly terrorising residents of the Sepaase community in the Atwima Nwabiagya District, by pulling down structures legally put up by developers without any justification, with the assistance of some macho men.

He is currently being held on charges of illegally breaking into the sacred room, which houses stools and other regalia, after the Head of the Royal Family, Abusuapayin Adusei Darko, reported him to the police.

The former NDC chairman, who is a Board Member of the Lands Commission (LC) has reportedly taken the law unto himself, causing chaos within the community.

Mr. Osei Mensah has confirmed knowledge of the demolition but distanced himself from it. To him, the action might have been carried out by “Angels of Demolition.”

Mr. Osei Mensah told The Chronicle in a telephone interview that he had been praying fervently and looking for the opportunity to pull down the structures, which he said, had been put up in his legally acquired lands.

“I am sure God has answered my prayers; Angel of Demolition must have done it for me, my prayers have been answered,” a cheerful Osei Mensah told the paper.

The Abuakwa Police have since arrested one of the accomplices of the ex-NDC Kingpin, whilst Mr. Mensah himself has been invited for questioning about the demolition exercise and the alleged invasion of the Stool House, where the Royal Family claims ornaments and other precious items were stolen.

The NDC Kingpin is reportedly acting on the interest of the Chief of Sepaase, Nana Kwadwo Oppong III, who has become frail as a result of dementia.

The Chronicle has been informed that the position of the Chief is in serious contention, as members of the Royal Family have protested against his installation as Chief and won the case at the Manhyia Palace.

A ruling by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II in 2012, stated emphatically that Nana Kwadwo Oppong III is a de facto Chief and that after his death, the occupancy of the Sepaase Stool must revert to the original family whose head is Abusuapayin Adusei Darko.

The ruling further barred the former NDC chairman, who is also staging a comeback to the political position, from meddling in the affairs of the family, since he is not directly related by blood to the Royal Family.

Though, Mr. Osei Mensah has confirmed the ruling by His Royal Majesty, he questioned the credibility of the Committee set up by the Asantehene to look into the crisis. He accused the Chairman of the Committee, Nana Asafohene of being the brother of Abusuapayin Adusei Darko.

“I have a video document of the Otumfuo ruling and I will show you when we meet; Otumfuo stated that I am a member of the family and I can even become a Chief, as for the Committee, I know the Chairman very well, he is the brother of Adusei Darko, the Abusuapayin,” Mr. Osei Mensah alleged.

Responding to question concerning the break-in, the former Ashanti Regional chairman of the NDC said he did not personally take part in the break-in but only instructed the son of the Chief and a Carpenter to go and change the locks.

He explained that he gave the instruction because the Chief, Nana Kwadwo Oppong III, complained to him that for the past 12 months now he has not been able to make libation in the room and as a result of that he was being haunted by the Stool.

“The Chief told me that he has not been able to sleep at all because of his inability to pour the libation in the house, he even told me it is the reason behind sudden deaths that have hit his family in recent times and it is true because we just buried one of our relatives in faraway Canada,” he noted.