Brong Ahafo Region: Provocations and Misunderstandings

Ahafo, formerly called Western Ashanti, was artificially joined to Brong by the first president of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. The Brong Ahafo Region was created on the 4th of April 1959 after the passing in Parliament, under a certificate of urgency, of the Brong Ahafo Act No. 18 in March, 1959. The Act defined the areas of Brong Ahafo to include the northern and the western parts of the then Ashanti Region, and also Prang and Yeji areas which, before the enactment of the law, were parts of the Northern Region. Dr. Nkrumah went ahead to create paramountcies in the region in order to challenge or weaken the legitimacy of Ashanti both as a kingdom and as a region. The following were some of the paramountcies created by Dr. Nkrumah: Mim, Sankore, Acherensua, Bechem, Yamfo, and Ofuman. The new region then became known as Brong Ahafo Region with the capital at Sunyani. The population of Brong Ahafo Region became larger than either those of the Northern or the Upper regions. Since the creation of the region, a lot of water has passed under the bridge. The Ahafos have not been happy with the union since they see development as tilting towards the Brong areas.

The Ahafos believe that they would have developed much better if they had stood alone since the Ahafo area is richer in terms of resources - timber, gold, cocoa, foodstuffs, etc. Today Kukuom in the Asunafo South District shows how development in the Ahafo areas looks like. There are no government buildings, no safe drinking water, no schools and no hospitals even though the best of timber, cocoa and food come from there.

Mr. Kofi Nyampong Mensah who hails fom Norbeko also at Asunafo South, and is now resident in New York, confirmed that what pertains in Kukuom is no different from Norbeko where old schools are damaged and there are no public toilets and hospitals. Why should Ahafo face many problems when one considers the amount of timber, cocoa and foodstuffs that come from the area?

The President, Prof. Atta Mills, during the electioneering campaign, promised the establishment of a university in the Brong Ahafo Region. This promise was fulfilled when he recently cut the sod for the establishment of the University of Energy and Natural Resource Management in the region based at Sunyani. However, there is growing discontent among the Ahafos that the university and all the campuses are located at the Brong side. When the university project is completed, infrastructure will develop rapidly in the area where the university is situated and the Ahafos will be left in the lurch.

When President. Mills announced the centenary celebration of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah's birthday, sadly enough, some traditional rulers of Brong Ahafo Region were conspiring to remove the bronze statue of the region's most honoured personality and former Prime Minister of Ghana, Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia, from Sunyani Jubilee Park and replace it with the statue of Dr. Nkrumah. This was provocation of the highest order for those who were born in Wenchi (Dr. Busia's birthplace), and all those who believe in the ideals of Dr. Busia. The reason for the removal of Dr. Busia's statue from the park was rooted in the fact that the Brong traditional chiefs were eager to show gratitude to Dr. Nkrumah for creating the Brong Ahafo region.

A year ago, the Asantehene, Nana Osei Tutu, was provoked by the Techimanhene when the latter caused the arrest and harassment of the Omanhene of Tuobodom and sent him to the police station. This unfortunate move by the Techimanhene provoked both the Ahafos and the Ashantis forcing the Asantehene to make pronouncements on the issue. Techiman citizens were prevented from travelling to the Ashanti Region. The timely intervention of the government brought everything back to normal and tension subsided. Tuobodomhene was molested because he refused to pay allegiance to Techimanhene. He insisted, he owed allegiance to the Ashanti stool. The Ahafo lands and parts of Brong lands like Techiman belong to the Ashanti stool. All traditional rulers in these areas are just care-takers of the lands on which they reside. Therefore their allegiance is to the Asantehene.

It is the suggestion of many in the Ahafo area that since Upper Region was able to form two regions (Upper East and Upper West Regions) peacefully. Brong Ahafo can also do the same since Ahafo will develop better if they have control of their own resources.

Written by: Stephen Atta Owusu

Author: Dark Faces At Crossroads

Email: stephen.owusu@email.com