PRESS STATEMENT: Oyoko Royal Family Of Wassa Dumasi Angry WITH GOLDEN STAR BOGOSO PRESTEA LIMITED OVER ILLEGITIMATE RESETTLEMENT PROCESS
We members of the Oyoko Royal Family of Wassa Dumasi, the legal custodians and owners of the Dumasi Stool Land are angry with Golden Star Bogoso Prestea Ltd (GSBPL) concerning their purported plan to resettle the entire Dumasi Township without due regard to the Oyoko Family and the concerns of the inhabitants of Dumasi.
We (the Oyoko Royal Family of Dumasi) have taken particular note of GSBPL clandestine moves to use unauthorised people who would only seek the interest of the company to take decision on the resettlement of the Dumasi Town WITHOUT RECOURSE TO THE OYOKO ROYAL FAMILY.
Dumasi is an ancient town with customs, traditions and sacred sites which must be respected by all organizations working on its land. It is only the Oyoko Royal Family of Dumasi who has the legitimate right to authorise any institution or body to temper with them after performing the necessary rites. It was a chief of the Oyoko Royal Family (Nana Esiful) who released land and performed the necessary traditional rights in 1985 for the Gold mining company to start its activities. The Oyoko royal family can therefore not fathom why GSBPL is deliberately sidelining the family and infringe on our rights. The continuous infraction of our rights as a Royal Family and the inhabitants of Dumasi by GSBPL has reached its crescendo and would no longer be tolerated.
Consequently, the Oyoko Royal Family wishes to declare the so called resettlement committee, established by GSBPL, as illegitimate body hence its decisions are null and void and of no effect.
Henceforth, any member of the Oyoko Royal Family or inhabitants of Dumasi who desire to build houses to accommodate their families can do so without any hindrance. We find it illegal and an infringement on the rights of the people of Dumasi for GSBPL to impose a ban on building of houses at Dumasi.
We (the Oyoko Royal Family) wish to assure members of the Dumasi community that even if there will be any sort of resettlement at all in the future, it will be done on agreed terms and conditions of the Oyoko Royal Family and the inhabitants of Dumasi. These terms and conditions would ensure the protection of the livelihood of the inhabitants as well as future development of Dumasi. We would not accept any decisions from people who yield illegitimate authority and wish to resettle Dumasi only for their personal gains.
The Oyoko Royal Family wishes to state that even though GSBPL is fully aware of the implication of their actions, they (GSBPL) have decided to turn blind eye to all the legitimate concerns of both the Oyoko Royal Family and the town folks.
The Oyoko Royal Family believes in the laws of Ghana hence our decision to institute a pending legal action against GSBPL and their assigns as well as imposters and their unlawful authority.
Notwithstanding the pending legal action and without prejudice to the outcome of the case thereof, the Oyoko Royal Family have it as a matter of right to continue to take steps to protect the Dumasi Stool, its land and the entire inhabitants with all the legal authority at our disposal.
For the avoidance of any doubt we would like to state the following:
1. That the Oyoko Royal Family of Dumasi has not authorised anybody or authority to discuss and or take decisions on resettlement of Dumasi on its behalf. Therefore if GSBPL decides to deal with anybody on matters of Dumasi, they (GSBPL) do so at their own peril.
2. That the Family is also currently in court with the Wassa Fiase Traditional Council and the Divisional Chief of Kokoasi for illegally taking over the Dumasi stool and its land through a dubious arbitration process. The case is at its final stage and a ruling is expected to be given on 16/04/2012.
3. As you are all aware, since the enstoolment of Nana Korkye II and the troubles that ensued, thereafter, no one has been selected/elected/appointed and or enstooled as a chief of Dumasi by the Kingmakers of the Royal Family. Therefore, anyone who purports to be the chief of Dumasi including Mr. Paul Cobbina is illegitimate and cannot be said to be acting for the Dumasi stool and the Oyoko Royal Family.
4. That the Oyoko Royal Family and the town folks are angry with GSBPL for undermining the customs and traditions of the town and would no longer tolerate any infractions from them or their assigns in undertaking any works in respect of actions that may lead to resettling the Dumasi town.
5. That the Oyoko Royal Family will do whatever possible to legally resist any attempt to continue with the said resettlement process henceforth.
Finally, the Oyoko Royal Family together with the good people of Dumasi would like to reiterate and add that we will sternly resist any attempt by GSBPL to resettle our town without our explicit involvement and agreement. We chose to use the laws of the land to right the wrongs but we wish to warn GSBPL and anybody who attempt to slight us will accordingly face our rout and we would not sit aloof and watch our rightful place is taken away from us.
Dr. Francis Kofi Bih,
(Secretary - Oyoko Royal Family)
