Chieftaincy dispute rages in Kwahu Pepease

The chieftaincy dispute in Kwahu Pepease in the Kwahu East District of the Eastern Region is posing a severe security threat to inhabitants of the area, as the two main feuding factions, Nana Bonsu Ayiripe Ababio, Chief of the area, and the Abusuapanin of the Pepease Santase Bretuo royal family, Opanin Kwabena Anyan, beat war drums.

While Nana Ababio carries himself around as the Chief of Kwahu-Pepease and Kyidomhene of the Kwahu Traditional Area, the Abusuapanin of the Santase Bretuo royal family, who is also a kingmaker in the area, on the other hand says there is no chief.

The situation is not only negatively affecting development in the area, but also posing a security threat, as the inhabitants cannot freely go about their day-to-day activities.

Addressing a press conference at Kwahu-Pepease on Friday, Opanin Kwabena Anyan warned Nana Ababio to stop parading himself as the Chief of Kwahu-Pepease, since the area has no chief after the death of their late chief, Nana Okyere Ampadu II.

He further cautioned Nana Ababio to also desist from selling community lands, since he (Opanin Kwabena Anyan) and the Queenmother have not installed him as the Chief of Pepease.

The Abusuapanin noted that the purported chief recently called a meeting of the natives of Pepease living in Accra, Tema and Kasoa to introduce himself to them as the Chief of the town, and also appealed to them to rally behind his kingship.

According to the Abusuapanin, what Nana Ababio Ayiripe and his elders did is an unlawful act, which is against the customs and traditions of the Pepease Stool, as there is no chief.

He claimed that even though the acting President of the Kwahu Traditional Council, Nana Asiedu Agyemang, does not have the mandate to accept Nana Ababio as the Chief of Pepease, he still went ahead to endorse him (Nana Ababio) as the Kyidomhene of the Kwahu Traditional area.

However, Nana Abankwa Ansong II, Nkonguasofohene of Pepease, and his elders, in a counter press conference last Saturday, debunked the allegations against Nana Ababio by the Abusuapanin, tagging him as an imposter and fraudster.

Nana Abankwa Ansong II noted that “the Pepease Community in Accra, Tema and Kasoa organised their own meeting and invited the Chief of Pepease and his elders. “They were invited because they showed respect and recognised that Nana Ababio Ayiripe is the Chief of Pepease, who was nominated, elected and enstooled by the kingmakers of Pepease.”

According to the Nkonguasofohene, the Chief of Pepease, Nana Ababio, is the legitimate chief of the town, as declared by a High Court, and since then, no court of competent jurisdiction has restrained him from performing his duties to the residents of Pepease.

He disclosed that Nana Ababio has also been accepted as the Chief of Pepease by the Kwahu Traditional Council.

“Since Nana Ababio was enstooled as Pepease Chief about a year ago, he has been able to refurbish the St. Dominic Senior High Technical School at the tune of GHC60,000, constructed some borehole water projects, replaced faulty street light bulbs, and the ongoing construction of ultra-modern community projects such as a new market, lorry station, car park, durbar grounds and new palace from his own pocket,” he explained.

He added that through Nana Ababio’s efforts, he has been able to raise GHC75,000 as at November 29, 2015, within a period of nine months, which has been deposited at a bank.

The Nkonguasofohene, however, posited that the Santase-Bretuo Abusuapanin, Kwabena Anyan, does not have the capacity to speak against the Pepease Chief, because he does not play any role in their area, as far as development and chieftaincy issues are concerned, and, therefore, the public should regard his claims as false.