Dixcove disturbances in Ahanta: Chief calls for cease fire

The Overlord of Dixcove Traditional Area, Obrempong Hema Dekyi (XIV) has called for cease fire in the traditional area.

The call, apparently follows an unprovoked attack suffered by Nana Diako Kra, Chief of Ekrakrom, a Senior Divisional Chief of Upper Dixcove, his own mother, Nana Ekua Bonsuase, and one Frederick Quayson, his own younger brother, who were beating mercilessly by "hoodlums" from his opponents camp.

The attack, he noted, was orchestrated by his opponents who were battling him over a parcel of land bequeathed to his traditional area ( Upper Dixcove) for centuries.

He said, this facts about the ownership of the disputed land, have been captured repeatedly and vividly in the rulings of many court cases that deliberated on the matter, and subsequently passed judgments to that effect and gave Upper Dixcove an authority and jurisdiction over the area in question.

According to him, apart from the latest attack suffered by his people, there have been several attacks suffered by his people in the past and nothing significant has been done by security agencies to deal with the people behind the provocations and the dispute in the area.

Obrempong Hema Dekyi was addressing a press conference in Takoradi in Western Region on Tuesday to state his position on the current attack visited on his people when they visited the land in question.

The repercussions of the current development, he warned, could be dire especially if nothing has been done to assuage the anger of his people.

The consequences of no action to tame the perpetrators, he underscored, could affect the peace and stability of the traditional area and all hopes for a solution could be compromised.

Consequently, he called on government and the security agencies to intervene in the ongoing disturbances which has led to severe beatings of the elder, his mother and the Chief who was stripped naked publicly.

According to Obrempong Hema Dekyi, President Akufo-Addo, Minister for Interior, Ambrose Derry, Minister for Defense, Dominic Nitiwul, and all the key stakeholders in the country's security set up must develop interest in what's happening at Dixcove and bring finality to the age long land dispute which has caused many their lives, denied the area development, investment, and denied residents an opportunity to enjoy peaceful coexistence.

The Paramount Chief who is upset by the latest development, criticized his opponent, the paramount Chief of Lower Dixcove traditional area, Nana Akwesi Agyeman, for reportedly orchestrating the series of attacks being visited on his people.

He said although his traditional area has been calm, and the people there have remained law abiding citizens, who expect the security agencies to act decisively in bringing perpetrators of the heinous crimes to book, failure to do that will only meant disappointment.

He said although his people will continue to count on the security agencies to go down and investigate the cause of the unprovoked attack delivered few days ago, and arrest all those behind the attacks, failure to do so by the security, he again cautioned, will send a wrong signal.

In the past, he said perpetrators of violations in the area went scot free, and therefore any attempt to ignore what has transpired in the past few days, could spark an unpleasant development which will not be good for development, and investment drive.

For the subjects of both Upper and Lower Dixcoves, he called on them to bury their differences, and forge ahead in unity in pursuit of development goals instead of fighting.

He said their energies and resources should be channeled into improving the welfare of the people and growth of the traditional area.