ashanti royal poised to expose corrupt ashanti chiefs

By Kofi Banzana

A royal of the Golden Stool has constituted himself into a monitoring machinery to monitor activities of Ashanti chiefs which go contrary to customary practices and norms for the appropariate body for sanctions to be imposed against the offending chiefs.

Nana Kwadwo Amoah Ampem Okokogyeabuor from Ahenema-Kokoben near Kumasi has launched a crusade against corrupt practices among chiefs in the Ashanti region.

He said his outfit would bring Ashanti chiefs under surveillance to ensure that their activities conform to customary practices and norms to cleanse the chieftaincy institution of corrupt practices and ensure that chiefs are transparent in dealing with the subjects.

The anti corruption campaigner indicated that there are chiefs whose activities and deeds tend to put the name and image of the Golden Stool into disrepute.

Nana Amoah Ampem Okokogyeabuor wants sanity to prevail and ensure that the image of the Golden Stool and its occupants are revered.

He stated in Kumasi that his mission is to ensure that chiefs who indulge in corrupt practices are exposed for appropriate sanctions to be imposed on them and safeguard cultural values and norms.

The concerned royal noted that some chiefs were meting out inhuman treatment to stool elders, family members and their subjects without restraint and that even though Manhyia had directed a reversal of their actions these orders had been flouted with impunity.

As a result, chiefs who indulge in the sale of stool lands and trample on the invocation of the Great Oath of the Golden Stool (Ntamkese) would be brought to book.

The sole crusader mentioned the case of a chief who invoked Otumfuo's Oath to restrain the burial of Nana Afia Afra, the queen mother of Adum Odumasi yet five years on the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has not been informed customarily for the determination of the matter thereby punishing the family of e deceased queen mother unduly .

Nana Amoah Ampem Okokogyeabuor has therefore asserted his resolve to work to reverse the trend in order to lessen undue pressure on the Asantehene following a pile of petitions by aggrieved persons calling for the intervention of the Manhyia palace to address the unhealthy development in the various communities.

By his resolve, committees appointed by the Asanteman Council and the Kumasi Traditional Council would be closely monitored to ensure that they do not contradict the norms and traditional practices.

Pix: Nana Kwadwo Amoah Ampem Okokogyeabuor