Sack Anarfi-Mensah, Kojo Bonsu – Kumasi chiefs

The recent misunderstanding that occurred at Tafo between the Muslim youth and the Tafo traditional council, leading to the assault on the Tafo Chief and the loss of an innocent life, has driven the chiefs in Kumasi crackers.

At a traditional council meeting held in Kumasi last Thursday, the chiefs doubted the leadership qualities of the outgoing Ashanti Regional Minister, Peter Anarfi-Mensah, the Regional Police Commander, DCOP Kofi Boakye and the Chief Executive Officer of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Kojo Bonsu, as far as the impasse between the Tafo Sub-Traditional Council and the Tafo Muslim Community was concerned.

Dr. Baffour Osei Hyeaman Bantuo IV, who chaired the Kumasi Traditional Council (KTC) meeting, expressed worry over how the out-going Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr. Anarfi-Mensah, Nathaniel Kofi Boakye and Mr. Kojo Bonsu respectively handled the issue. The KTC has, therefore, called for the prosecution of perpetrators of the Tafo clashes without further delay.

The Council also asked the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to re-arrest the 48 people who were set free as part of the peace deal brokered by the National Chief Imam and the police, before the Council’s next meeting at Manhyia this week.

The KTC expressed its disappointment after the REGSEC had presented security details about the roadmap to restore calm at Tafo.

Dr. Baffour Osei Hyeaman Bantuo IV, who is also the Mawerehene, expressed shock over the decision taken by the Regional Coordinating Council, the KMA and the Ashanti Police Command to release the 45 people who were arrested for reportedly fueling the riot which has claimed one life, with others sustaining injuries.

Baffour Osei Hyeaman Bantuo IV questioned why the Police couldn’t handle the riot, but had to call for reinforcement from the Military. Doubting the competence of DCOP Kofi Boakye and Kojo Bonsu as security heads, the Mawerehene asked what their inputs were in the Tafo issue.

A timely intervention by both the army and the police averted what would have been the bloodiest clash in the history of Ghana, between the Moslem youth the youth supporting the Tafo chief.

The clashes were said to have been ignited by an order from the Tafo chief for a fence wall which was being constructed around the Muslim section of the Tafo cemetery to be demolished.

According to reports, the Tafo chief claimed he was not informed about the construction, and so asked that the construction be halted.

The chief was said to have sent men to demolish the fence wall, but members of the Muslim community protested, resulting in the clashes.