Tema Kingmakers withdraw legal case

Tema Manhean, June 9, GNA - Kingmakers of the Tema Traditional Area have withdrawn a 25-year-old legal suit against Ga Mantse, Nii Amugi and Nii Samuel Adjetey Kraku, a claimant to the Tema stool, for amicable settlement to pave way for peace and development. The suit had been before the Judicial Committee of the National House of Chiefs in Kumasi against Nii Amugi for wrongfully installing Nii Adjetey Kraku as a chief of Tema.

Mr Seth Ago Adjetey, spokesman for the kingmakers, announced the withdrawal of the suit at a news conference at Tema Manhean on Tuesday. "The Tema Kingmakers wish to put behind them whatever provocation that might have prompted them to institute legal action against the two," he said and that they were doing so to pave the way for a successful continuation and conclusion of an on-going arbitration. He added however, that the withdrawal was not to signify victory for the kingmakers or the contestants.

He said in the past few years, the Ga-Dangme Council had been engaged behind closed doors in an arbitration process and had held more than 20 sittings to resolve the dispute with both parties participating.

Mr Adjetey said the action had the potential of unfortunately ridiculing the status and dignity of the Ga Mantse. "We consider it improper, indecent and untraditional to drag and embarrass the Mantse or for that matter any other properly crowned Ga-Dangme chief in this matter."

He indicated however, that Nii Adjetey Kraku had never at any time been nominated as demanded by customs or been released to the Kingmakers as a prospective Tema Mantse by the ruling house, the Koklotse We, hence the decision to discontinue the action.

The stool name of Nii Kraku was expunged from the statutory books in April 1983 after it was gazetted in December 1979.

Mr Adjetey stated that by the unproductive action, "we the indigenous citizens of Tema feel embarrassed by the impression so far created that Tema has two chiefs".

He explained that the unhealthy effect of the multiplicity of chieftaincy disputes was affecting the image of the Ga-Dangme State and that there was need for reconciliation to ensure peace in order to make way for progress.