Manhyia, Castle on collision course

The Free Press in a front-page banner, reports that tension is growing between the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi and the Chieftaincy Division of the Office of the President at the Castle, Osu. According to the paper, this follows a directive on January 25, 2000, from the Minister of Chieftaincy Affairs and Protocol, Mr Daniel Ohene Agyekum, asking the Registrar of the Central Regional House of Chiefs, Mr E.C.K. Asante, to be in charge as Registrar for both the Ashanti and Central Regional Houses of Chiefs.

The paper says that the fate of Mr Dadzie Mensah, from whom Mr Asante is expected to take over, is now hanging in the balance. The Free Press says that not happy with the manner in which the transfer was effected without calling his attention, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II had asked the Office of the President to show some respect for the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs. Otumfuo Osei Tutu is said to have also asked the President's Office not to drag the Manhyia Palace into politics. The story says that speaking at an emergency meeting of the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs in Kumasi last Friday, February 4, Otumfuo Osei Tutu stated that if the House was respected then a copy of the letter of transfer should have been addressed to him.

The Free Press recalls that in 1999, the former Presidential Adviser of Chieftaincy Affairs, Nana Akuoko Sarpong, transferred the then Registrar of the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs and brought Mr Dadzie Mensah from the Central to the Ashanti Region.

The paper says that according to a letter dated January 25, 2000, from the Minister of Chieftaincy Affairs and State Protocol, Mr E.C.K. Asante from the Central Regional House of Chiefs, was to revert to his former position as the substantive Registrar for both the Central and Ashanti Regional Houses of Chiefs.