Regional News of Friday, 15 December 2023

Source: Nana Peprah, Contributor

Asotwe residents worried over absence of chief, make wild allegation against queen mother

A chief lamenting on the lack of development at Asotwe A chief lamenting on the lack of development at Asotwe

Some residents of Asotwe, a suburb of Ejisu in the Ashanti Region have expressed worry over the lack of development due to the absence of a chief for the past years. According to them, the community would have been better should there be a chief to steer the affairs of the community.

The residents who further blame the queen mother, Nana Adwoa Sika Brayie for being part of the community's problems, alleged that she neither stays in the community nor fights for development.

According to them, the community started experiencing some good changes a few days after a new chief had been installed, but, unfortunately for them, he was later asked to step aside after the queen mother had made allegations and expressed a dislike towards him.

"The queen mother vowed to stand against Nana Gyening Akhenteng's leadership, all because her preferred candidate could make it according to a finding by the kingmakers". This is affecting our development as a community and we seriously need a chief", a woman identified as Ante Adwoa said.

In a video posted by Asiase TV on YouTube, some family members of Asona descent who are said to be the original occupants of the Asotwe stool, further described the queen mother's claims as baseless. They also accused her of failing to give any tangible reasons for the several confusions she has been creating, adding that, all chances given her to provide another candidate have proven futile.

"She doesn't even stay in this community. She is the cause of our developmental stagnation", they said.

In the video, the residents were seen kneeling while appealing to Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to give them a chief who would bring development to the community. According to most of them, they want Nana Gyening Akhenaten whom they describe as an innocent, hard-working, and development-oriented person, back on the throne.

One of the residents who gave his name as Mr. Awuah said that residents of the Asotwe community have become laughing stock due to the lack of development and a chief to steer the community's affairs.

"It will interest you to know that we, especially those of us who have names on radio stations have become a laughing stock. Sometimes you open your mouth to talk and people will ask you to shut up all because your community has no chief and proper development. Our BECE children also perform abysmally. Last year, for instance, the best grade we had here was aggregate 31. If we had had any good leadership, all this wouldn't have happened, he bemoaned.

Another resident who gave his name as Baffour Amoah pleaded with Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to destool some leaders of the community who had ganged up to fight against the community's well-being.

Meanwhile, Nana Kwadwo Amoah Ampem Okogyeabour who is the executive director for Corruption Combat International and great-grandson of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II said his investigations had revealed that most of the claims made by the Asotwe queen mother were false.

Picking and refuting some claims of the queen mother one by one, the investigative chief said the queen mother's claim in front of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, that Nana Gyening Akhenteng was selected without her concern was never the truth.

He further disclosed that the queen mother's attempt to tarnish the image of the Ejisu Manhene Nana Afrane Okesse, whom she said he helped to install Nana Gyening Akhenteng without (the queen mother's) knowledge, was false.

"I want to set the record straight that, after Nana Gyening Akhenteng had been settled on by the kingmakers, the queen mother complained that she was not happy. An official apology in addition to 'boamuadie' was sent to her through the Tepa Omanhene. Now I hear her claiming again that she was not aware of Nana Gyening Akhenteng's kinship. I humbly plead with Otumfuo that the queen mother be investigated because she spoke to Otumfuo Osei Tutu whilst holding water in her mouth. She is very dangerous more than an atomic bomb", he said.

According to him, the queen mother's acceptance of the 'boamuadie' in addition to the apology paved the way for the said Gabriel Owusu who had his stool name as Nana Gyening Akhenteng, to be sworn in.

Expressing shock over the turn of events by the queen mother, the investigative chief said, he couldn't fathom why she was still trying to bring someone who had been disqualified due to past history and bad record that never favored him for the throne.

"She only wanted to disgrace Nana Afrane Okesse with such an unfounded allegation. She was aware and everybody in this community including the kingmakers was aware before the suspended chief, Nana Gyening Akhenteng was sworn in at the Ejisu Manhene 's palace. Why must you lie to tarnish a whole paramount chief's image before the Asanteman wura?", he expressed worry.

In addition, Nana Amoah Ampem Okogyeabour alleged that his investigations had uncovered that the queen mother was even allowed to choose another candidate, thus after her first choice had been disqualified, but she couldn't
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He has therefore petitioned Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to investigate the queen mother's act, adding that, her parochial interest was only harming the community.