Osu youth to protest on July 19 against govt's interference in Osu chieftancy issues

Youth of Osu are set for a big demonstration on Wednesday - July 19,2023, through the Osu township and other principal streets to protest over what they describe as the NPP government’s perceived interference in the Osu chieftaincy issue.

Three parties are locked in Osu Chieftaincy dispute currently before the Judicial Committee of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs, which has restrained all claimants from holding themselves as Osu Mantse pending the final determination of the case.

But according to the Osu for Peace, Progress and Unity Movement (OPPUM, the government appears to be supporting one of the claimants, Bernard Botchway to usurp the authority of the court by defying the court order.

Isaac Adotey Brown, Organiser for OPPUM in an interview with The Hawk newspaper indicated that the said Bernard Botchway who “parades” as Notse Nii Nortey Owuo IV continues to be invited by the Ministry of Education for official events undermining the authority of the court.

“We are concerned by the bastardisation of the legally empowered constitutional court by the said Bernard Botchway, who does not hail from any of the two Ruling Houses in Osu,” Isaac Adotey Brown added.

He said it was not for nothing that the laws of the land empowered the Regional House of Chiefs to adjudicate such matters, and the government should not be seen to be encouraging a culture of absolute disrespect and disregard for the court.

“Ultimately we have to preserve the honour and authority of the court and also of our Chieftaincy institution otherwise we are going to degenerate into a society of lawlessness, chaos and insecurity. These are some of the issues we want to highlight in our demonstration,” he stated.

He said the demonstration will take place tomorrow, Wednesday, July 19, 2023 and start at 10am.

“It will start from the Osu Five Junction and move through to Ridge, Osu Oxford Street, Police Headquarters and then end in front of the Accra Sports Stadium,” he indicated.

He said the youth were also disappointed by the unprofessional conduct of some police officers at the Osu Police Station in the handling of matters related to Osu Chieftaincy and related security issues, adding that they would not hesitate to expose such bad nuts in the Police Service who are creating a culture of insecurity in Osu with their open bias.

“We will be presenting a petition to the Speaker of Parliament, the Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture and the Inspector General of Police on various issues tomorrow, and we assure all that it will be a very peaceful demonstration. We are for peace and unity that is why we are embarking on this demonstration to alert the powers-that-be on the rising tensions in Osu as a result of the Chieftaincy dispute and related issues,” he stated.

He urged all peace loving people of Osu to join in the demonstration to save Osu and promote its development.