Angry Youth Chase Chiefs Over ?Chop Chop?

Angry youth of Adjina, a farming town near Akosombo in the Asuogyaman District of the Eastern Region, are up in arms against the chiefs and elders of the town over the embezzlement of an amount of ?291 million belonging to the town.

The youth say they would not relent in their agitation no matter the amount of intimidation and threats of arrest by the chiefs and their elders until the amount meant for the development of the town is refunded and used for the intended purpose. But in a rather unbelievable bizarre twist, the Chief of Adjina, Nana Appiah Barima II, confirmed the allegations in an interview that "yes, we shared the first installment of ?100 million among the chiefs and elders of the town."

He said, the amount was part of the compensation paid to the town by the Volta river Authority (VRA) for farming lands along the banks of the Volta Lake which were destroyed by the man made lake after the construction of the Hydroelectric Dam at Akosombo. The chief explained that, the money was meant for the Volta George Landowners Association and so he decided to disburse it to the chiefs and elders who are the custodians of the land. But later he decided to rather channel the remaining into development projects.

According to the Adjina chief a proposal for channeling the remaining ?191 into development projects was rejected as the chiefs pressed for their share of the money which was just about being paid by the VRA. The Independent learnt during the interview with Nana Barima. He said the chiefs led by Nana Ntim Gyakari III filed a writ at the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and sought to compel him to share the money to the individual which judgment was given in favour of the aggrieved chiefs.

The Asuogyaman District CHRAJ ruled the Nana Barima should share the money among the chiefs in accordance with their standing and later get in touch with the individual chiefs whenever it became necessary for any particular area in the twon to be provided with a development. The money, which was to be disbursed among the chiefs, were to be used in such instances, the CHRAJ ruling directed. Nana Barima said, "I had no option but to comply with the ruling" and so come back to do as directed by CHRAJ.

Giving the breakdown of how much each of the chiefs received after the CHRAJ ruling, Nana Barima disclosed that Nana Nyamm Abisaa; Nana Asante Kyekyireh, Pomase chief, and; Nana Adu Danso, Adjina Omankrado each received ?16 million.

Nana Barima also disclosed that Nana Ofeibea, Pomase queen mother, received ?21.8 million while Abusuapanyin Asar Akoto received ?4million and Aberewa Adobea received ?16.8million. According to the Adjina chief Kwame Dankwa, the Mmerantehene of the town also received an amount of ?600,000.

Meanwhile the youth of Adjina have rejected the expenditure and called for a probe into the whole Volta Gorge Land Compensation affair, saying "we expect the chiefs to come and render accounts to us and show us how they disbursed and utilized the money."