A perennial chieftaincy dispute in Winneba nearly disrupted the celebration of this year’s Aboakyere festival on Saturday. Police personnel were deployed in the town following overnight skirmishes between two families fighting for the stool. The two groups are divided between the Omanhene of the Efutu Traditional area, Nenyi Ghartey and his rival, Ayirebi Acquah. Police guarded the palace of Nenyi Ghartey as members of the opposing faction demonstrated on the streets to prevent his supporters from performing the rituals to climax the festival.

However, following an intervention by the Central Regional Minister, Isaac Edumadze, police personnel escorted the chief to the durbar grounds to perform the highlights of the festival, which involved the hunting of a deer by one of the Asafo groups.

The other Asafo group did not take part in the event, which usually saw the two rival groups competing for the catch. Addressing the durbar, the Regional Minister said government recognizes Nenyi Ghartey as chief of the area because he is the only one who has been gazetted.