Chiefs of the Akyem Kotoku State have described as palpable falsehood the allegations made by Nana Boni Abankro, Chief of Adausena against Oseadeeyo Dr. Frimpong Manso IV, King of Akyem Kotoku State.

Nana Boni Abankro made allegations of misappropriation of funds allocated by Newmont to the Akyem Kotoku State in two separate tranches; $100,000 and 2.4 million cedis by the Akyem Kotoku Overlord in a press conference on Sunday, September 15, 2024.

The funds according to Nana Boni Abankro were meant for the reconstruction of the Akyem Kotoku Palace in Oda.

The Adausenahene further hinted that his pressure on the Akyem Kotoku Overlord to explain why the reconstruction of the Oda Palace has not commenced despite the huge sums of money given to him has made Nana Boni Abankro a target for assassination.

Reacting to the allegations in a press conference on September 19, 2024, at the Akyem Kotoku Palace, Gyasehene of the Akyem Kotoku State, Obrempong Amo Kyeretwie I said: “ Our checks show Oseadeeyo has not received any $ 100,000 from Newmont."

According to him, there are four (4) revenue streams including royalties, MoU, NAKDEF, and the EPA, adding that Oseadeeyo is entitled to all the streams of revenue that come from Newmont.

"Oseadeeyo is equally entitled to the revenue as Aduasehene and other chiefs within the Newmont catchment areas are," he said.

On the issue of thugs hired by Oseadeeyo Dr Frimpong Manso IV to hunt down the Adausenahene, Obrempong Amo Kyeretwie I said “Kotokuhene is very clean in the affairs of life. He has not even hurt a fly in his private and public life”.

Again, the Adausenahene contests that the entire lands of Oda and Adausena Hweakwae and Ntronang belong to him.

Nana Kwame Akomeah, Gyasehene of Adjenua contested the claims of the Adausenahene over Adausena lands.

The Adjenua Gyasehene quoted suit no L. 414/72 Nana Kofi Ntiamoah II VRS NANA KODIE AKRASIE II AND ANOR in which the High Court presided over by Justice G.L Lamptey ruled in summary as follows: “In respect of the motion of the plaintiff against the co-defendant, I've elsewhere in this Ruling given reasons to show that the evidence on record satisfied me that the plaintiff is not and has never been the absolute owner of the land in dispute. Plaintiff is therefore not entitled to a declaration of absolute title to the land in dispute in his favor. I find that Plaintiff’s action must fail. As a result, I dismiss the action of Plaintiff against the Co-defendant. In view of the conclusions I have reached, I enter judgment for Defendant and Co-defendant respectively against the Plaintiff."

“Again in the Supreme Court of judicature, in the Supreme Court Accra presided over by Amua Sakyi JSC assisted by Mrs Bamford-Addo JSC Hayford-Benjamin JSC Ampiah JSC and Adjabeng JSC Civil Motions No 48/94 The Republic Vs The Court of Appeal Ex Parte Nana Ntiamoah Bediako IV pleadings of then Adausenahene Nana Ntiamoah Bediako IV were dismissed," he added.

Thus the current Adausenahene Nana Dr Boni Abankro’s claim of having authority over part of Kotoku land including Adausena, Ntronang, Hweakwae, etc has no grounds.

Obrempong Tabi Anum Nifahene of Akyem Kotoku State dismissed the Aduasenahene’s claim of Oseadeeyo Dr Frimpong Manso’s involvement in Galamsey activities saying it’s rather Oseadeeyo who is vigorously fighting Galamsey.

Occupants of Adausena stools have since 1913 through to the 1990s always tried but have failed to lay claim of jurisdictional rights over Adausena land.

Kotoku history and the courts have refuted such claims every time Adausena stool occupants have sought to claim autonomy.

Background:

In November 2023, chiefs of the 10 towns in the Newmont Akyem catchment Area signed an agreement to cede part of the revenue given to them by the Newmont Akyem Development Fund for the reconstruction of Kotoku Palace in Oda.

Thereafter, Adausenahene in April 2024, organized a group of young men in Aduasena to openly challenge the motive behind Oseadeeyo Dr. Frimpong Manso’s resolve to be a part of the ten communities' revenue as earlier agreed upon to build the palace and spread development throughout the entire Akyem Kotoku State.

They further called into question the jurisdictional rights of the occupant of the Bohyengua stool over Adausena claiming Adausena town was not part of the Akyem Kotoku State.

The situation created ripples in the Akyem Kotoku State whose Overlord Oseadeeyo Dr Frimpong Manso IV summoned Adausenehene to come and explain why his youths had done that.

Adausenehene Nana Boni Abankro refused to come to the meeting.

For about five months after the incident, the Adausenehene was given more than eight chances to explain the actions of the youth of the area but he didn’t show up.

Then on August 29, 2024, at a State Council meeting, a seven-member committee was set up to investigate the conduct of Adausenehene and present its findings.

Fearing that the outcome would not favor him, the Adausenehene resorted to baseless allegations to tarnish the image of His Gracious Majesty Oseadeeyo Dr Frimpong Manso IV King of the Akyem Kotoku State.

Adausenahene has stirred the hornets nest and what would follow next will be determined by destiny.