Kingmakers defend Ga Mantse

The principal kingmakers and elders of Ga Royal Paramount Stool have cautioned troublemakers in the area to desist from causing unnecessary troubles and confusions within the Ga State or face their wrath.

At a counter press conference in Accra last Thursday, the kingmakers, made up of the heads of the four royal ruling houses of the Ga State stressed that they would be compelled to take action against people who are peddling lies about them.

The Kingmakers Council said their attention had been drawn to a petition filed at the Registrar of the Judicial Committee of Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs (GARHC) by Nii Tackie Oblilie and Nii Ofoli Gakpo, disclaiming the installation of King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II as the Ga Mantse.

They added that the two also made certain unprovoked statements and allegations against some distinguished personalities as being behind the enstoolment of King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II by the principal kingmaker, Nii Dr Tetteh Kwei II.

The kingmakers said it is the turn of the Abola Piam Royal Ruling House to nominate a royal candidate to be vetted and screened for the position of Ga Mantse, according to a Memorandum of Understanding for the Ga Paramount Stool Dzase, which dates back to March 2005.

The kingmakers said in 2009, Abola Piam Royal ruling house nominated three candidates in the persons of Kudja Okai Thomas, George Tackie and Emmanuel Ayikuma Vandore to the Ga Paramount Stool Dzase for vetting and at the end of the traditional exercise; all the three candidates were rejected due to their unsuitability.

According to them, the Abola Piam Royal ruling house was given another chance and the house brought other candidates who were Henry Ayitey Aryeetey and Dr Kelvin Tackie to contest for the position, but the report on both had been withheld by Nii Yaote Oto-Ga II, who was the then acting Ga Paramount Stool Kingmaker.

They pointed out that the Judicial Committee of GARHC on July 18, 2008 empowered King Tackie Tawiah III to perform the functions and duties of Ga Mantse, until the final determination of the consolidated petitions of the chieftaincy matters on the Ga Mantse throne.

They indicated that Judicial Committee of GARHC on April 1, 2014 ruled that the Ga Paramount Stool was vacant.

On April 1, 2015, the Ga Dzase Council, together with the Ga kingmaker (Dzasetse), held a crunch stakeholders meeting in which the Council stated that it was setting agenda towards the nomination, selection and installation of Ga Mantse.

They said the Ga Dzase council had no other option than to move to the next Ga Royal ruling house in accordance with the memorandum of understanding between the four royal ruling houses executed in March 2005.

They explained that the customary duties were presented to the next royal ruling house which is Nii Teiko Tsuru in June 2015 to nominate a royal candidate for vetting and screening by the Ga Dzase Council.

The kingmakers averred that Nii Teiko Tsuru royal ruling house officially nominated Dr Kelvin Nii Abia Tackie to the Ga Paramount Stool Dzase which in June 2015 vetted and found him suitable for the Ga Mantse throne.

They noted that on August 2015, Dr Kelvin Nii Abia Tackie was customarily, constitutionally selected as the Ga Mantse-elect and on October 20, 2017 was customarily installed the sustentative Ga Mantse under the stool name King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II.

The traditional installation of King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, according to them, was in conformity with the final ruling of the Judicial Committee of the GARHC dated April 1, 2014 and February 2, 2015 respectively.