Kabrono-Banda (Brong Ahafo), 27th April, ?99 -

The Banda traditional area in the Brong-Ahafo region now has a Paramount chief after 26 years of litigation over which of the two royal families at Banda-Ahenkro and Banda-Kabrono had the right to nominate a successor to Nana Kofi Dwuru, who died in 1974.

The new chief is a 30-year-old student of the Ghana Institute of Languages, Mr Emmanuel Yaw Boadu, who was installed about two weeks ago, was outdoored at a colourful durbar at Kabrono on Sunday. His stool name is Nana Sakyame Sen-Apem 11.

The dispute resulted in clashes, which sometimes led to loss of life and destruction of property on both sides.

Last year, the National House of Chiefs, the Supreme Court and the Judicial tribunal of the Brong-Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs, ordered the Kralongo royal family of Banda-Ahenkro to hand over the black stool to the Petelli Royal Family of Banda-Kabrono.

All the divisional chiefs except the chief of Banda-Ahenkro, who had earlier sworn the oath of allegiance to the new chief, attended the durbar.

There was heavy police and military presence to ensure security.

Speaking at the durbar, Nana Kofi Sono, Paramount Chief of Sampa traditional area, advised the people to bury the hatchet and work together to enhance the development of the area.

Nana Sakyame Sen-Apem said his immediate task would be to ensure permanent peace among the people of Banda- Kabrono and Banda-Ahenkro.

He thanked the Banda Youth Association for its efforts to resolve the dispute, which he described as ''unnecessary'' and appealed to the people to contribute towards the development of the area.