Police Misused At Aboakyer Festival - Winneba Chief

Nana Otubua Siripi II, Tufuhene of Winneba and leader of Tuafo Asafo No.1and Dentsifo Asafo No. 2, has denied the allegation by Neenyi Ghartey VII that his palace was attacked by the Asafo companies, when he was performing the rituals to mark this year's Aboakyer festival.

He said the venue where the incidence of confrontation between the police and the youth of the town took place, was at the shrine of Apa Sekum at Tsetse Guado. "The chief at that time was at the golf course at Gyatekrom near the Winneba Junction on the Winneba - Accra road", he said.

Nana Otubua Siripi II was speaking at a press conference in Accra yesterday to explain the circumstances, which led to the violence at the recent Aboakyer festival at Winneba. At the press conference were Nana Gyankumah V, Adotenhene and Acting President of Efutu Traditional Council, Nana Gyaaben, Nyimfahenekuma, Nana Annobil Twafohene, Ama Takyiwah, Chief Priestess and Agatha Koomson Counselor Effutu Traditional Council.

The Tufuhene accused Neenyi Ghartey VII of "misusing" the police in the area to terrorize them. He said since Daniel Kobina Borstie Ghartey (Neenyi Ghartey VII) "illegally and illegitimately installed" himself as the Omanhene of Winneba in 1996, it has caused a split in the Asafo companies. He said one faction, Saayo group are in support of the Omanhene and the faction referred to as Amanfo does not recognize him.

He said following the split, the people of the Amanfo faction have always boycotted any festivals presided over by Neenyi Ghartey VII.

He explained that the Amanfo faction has failed to recongize him Neenyi Ghartey VII as their Omanhene because his - installation was not done in accordance with the proper Effutu customary rites and usage. He is considered customarily unclean and therefore a source of ill omen...

He alleged the chief has ignored the existing Traditional Council to "constitute a parallel Traditional Council in direct breach of the 1992 Constitution and Chieftaincy Act, 370 of 1971". Nana Otubua Siripi II said owning to the differences, when the people of Amanfo sent their catch (antelopes) to the Abosomba where the actual rituals on Aboakyer are done, the Saayo group sent their catch to "an unknown place". He described as false the statement by Neenyi Ghartey VII that the place the Amanfo sent their animals for ritual performances is a defunct place.

He said it was during the ritual process at Abosomba when "the police were sent under the instructions from the Chief to go and disperse the crowd at 'Tsetse Guado' because it was not his faction that was performing the rituals".

He said the police upon the arrival, went ahead to take away the slaughtered animals, the youth present there then resisted the police. He said this resulted in the police "firing tear gas and live ammunition into the teeming crowd gathered to witness the rituals." The youth then started throwing stones as a means of defending themselves.