It is about hard time Chiefs in Denkyira Traditional Council must be Proactive and do the needful to avert possible anarchy at Nkotumso Nkasawura stool land.
Nkotumso Nkasawura is a mining community in the Upper Denkyira West District in the Central Region of Ghana.
Investigations conducted by newsmen over the weekend revealed that there is a total outbreak of law and order in the said community.
According to investigations,the law permits Doduo Biribi Aduonum-Gyeabour to operate fully as a Chief to be able to reorganize and develop his jurisdiction which is now in mess but Nana Anyimadu Kuffour II, popularly known as Kwabena Ebo in a funeral poster sighted by newsmen last Friday has paraded himself as the Chief of the area which is gradually bringing the tension in the community.
The case started in September 2011 where the summary judgment was given on the 8th of April, 2021; whilst the certified written copy of the judgment was delivered on the 22nd of April 2021at the Denkyira Traditional Council.
That is two weeks after the summary judgment was delivered.
The Chief, Doduo Biribi Aduonum-Gyeabour was properly installed according to the customs and traditions of Denkyira on the 26th of April 2021.
The Defendants (Nana Anyimadu Kuffour II) made an appeal thereafter (in April 2021) at the Central Regional House of Chiefs.
The summary judgment was delivered on 17th February 2022 in favour of the Defendants/Appellants; against all odds.
Both parties were told to come in two weeks for the certified true copy of the judgment in two weeks as usual.
A notice of appeal was filed by the Plaintiffs/ Respondents to the National House of Chiefs on the 18th of February 2021.
The panel at the Central Regional House of Chiefs couldn’t deliver the certified written copy of the judgment in two weeks as assured.
Upon persistent attempts by their lawyers and the Plaintiffs/ Respondents themselves in writing,
calls, and personal demands, the panel has refused to deliver the certified true copy of the judgment till date.
That is over five months after delivering the summary judgment.
Meanwhile, the Plaintiffs/Respondents and their lawyers are waiting eagerly to proceed to the National House of Chiefs but not without the certified copy of the judgment.
This is some of the abuse of powers prevailing at the Traditional and Regional Houses of Chiefs culminating in delays in the determination of cases at reasonable periods.
Resulting in prolonged litigations to the detriment of the socioeconomic development of the affected areas.
This has been the story of the Nkasawura Stool Lands case, lasting over eleven years.
Finally, a chief (Doduo Biribi Aduonum-Gyeabour)has been properly installed to serve the people but they are still putting obstacles in his ways not to allow him to operate fully.
The notice of Appeal to the National House of Chiefs serves as a stay of execution.
That means the judgment of the Judicial Committee of the Central Region has been put on hold till the final determination at the National House of Chiefs.
The Nkasawura chief, Doduo Biribi Aduonum-Gyeabour is, therefore, free to perform his duties as chief without any hindrance.
After over five months of the summary judgment of the Judicial Committee of the Central Regional House of Chiefs being delivered, the certified written copy of the judgment is still not delivered.
That means they have not been able to assign the reasons for overruling the case which went in favour of the Plaintiffs/ Respondents earlier at the Denkyira Traditional Council.
Unfortunately, many Chiefs have been victimized at these Traditional/ Regional houses and it’s high time the Ministry of Chieftaincy set its eyes on their operations.
The final victims are the people of Nkotumso community whose areas lack development because of the unnecessary prolonged litigations.
Nkasawura Stool Lands, for the lack of chief over eleven years has rendered the towns underdeveloped.
Social vices such as teenage pregnancies, stealing, premature deaths resulting from people falling into open pits left by illegal miners, school dropouts and other lawlessness associated with people without a caretaker.
The media is by this publication appealing to the Denkyira Traditional Council, Central Regional House of Chiefs, National House of Chiefs and the Ministry of Chieftaincy to have intended oversight over the activities of the houses under their jurisdictions.
The performances of some of the chiefs are abysmal to the socioeconomic development of the Country.