Winneba Aboakyir In Danger

A member of the Otuano Royal Family of Winneba, Samuel Atta Ghanney, has accused the National Security Advisor to President Atta Mills, Brigadier Joseph Nunoo-Mensah, the Member of Parliament for the area, Mike Hammah, who is also the Minister of Transport and one Dr. Ato Ayirebi of fuelling the Winneba Chieftaincy dispute.

He said the insecurity in the area was so intense that people are scared when going out in the night, warning that the situation may affect this year’s Aboakyir Festival.

Mr. Ghanney disclosed this in an exclusive interview with Daily Guide on Sunday, with regards to the security situation in the area towards this year’s Aboakyir festival. He stated that although the area has a gazetted chief, the three are using their positions to destool the gazetted chief, Neenyi Ghartey.

He alleged that in February 2010, they had information that the self-styled paramount chief, one Nana Ayirebi Acquah, had a secret meeting with Brigadier Nunoo-Mensah at his office in Accra.

This compelled him to confront the National Security Advisor at his Winneba residence, who totally denied holding a meeting with him but upon persistent questioning, admitted to it but was quick to add that the meeting was not in reaction to the Winneba Chieftaincy issue.

The member of the Otuano Royal Family said during the confrontation, Brigadier Nunoo-Mensah pleaded with him to give him the mandate to look for an eminent chief to investigate the chieftaincy dispute and find ways of resolving it. “The constitution provides a framework for chieftaincy matters to be resolved and that the matter has been resolved at the Central Regional House of Chiefs where government is only expected to enforce the constitution”, he said.

He said the Winneba Chieftaincy dispute normally arises when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is in power, adding that the chieftancy situation took a different twist in the late 90s only to return to its distraught state now that the NDC has assumed power.

All efforts made by the Daily Guide newspaper to contact Brigadier Nunoo Mensah for his side of the story proved futile as his cell phone was switched off.

Meanwhile, Nana Ayirebi Acquah, the self-styled paramount chief of the area is preparing seriously to celebrate his 17th anniversary as a chief at Winneba. According to Nana Ayirebi Acquah, a letter has been sent to the Winneba district police to see to the peaceful celebration of his 17th anniversary.

The police have however advised him to postpone it to enable them verify his position as paramount chief since there cannot be two paramount chiefs at a particular area and to ensure a peaceful and incident free celebration.