Winneba, May 7, GNA - Leaders of the Dentsifo Number Two Asafo Company of the Effutu Traditional Area on Sunday denied press reports that they had violated the orders of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) not to celebrate this year's "Aboakyer" festival.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, the spokesman for the leaders, Supi Sam Odonsu, said the group did not take part in the festival, which was said to have taken place at Winneba on Saturday.

"It is, therefore, never correct for the Omanhene, Nana Ghartey VII, to claim that the antelope purported to have been caught by a group of people was caught by the Dentsifo Number Two Asafo Company."

Supi Odansu said the group, which allegedly made the catch, was organised by the Omanhene, who gave them red-coloured jumpers and shorts, the traditional uniform worn by the Dentsifo Number Two Asafo Company.

He said because members of the accredited Dentsifo Asafo Group decided not to participate in this year's Aboakyer festival, nobody went to the usual hunting ground around the Manko Plains to look for a game.

Supi Odansu explained that the Winneba waterworks area where Nana Ghartey's group allegedly conducted their hunting expedition is a prohibited zone for farming and hunting activities on Saturdays. He said before the orders to halt the celebration of the festival were received, a series of meetings took place in Cape Coast between representatives of the chieftaincy factions in the Town, on the one hand, and the Awutu-Effutu-Senya District Security Council and the Central Regional Security Council on the other hand.

Supi Odansu said leaders of the Dentsifo Number Two Asafo Company, therefore, wished to disassociate themselves from the acts of a section of the Effutu Community, which violated the orders.

"We respect the orders of the government, which the IGP represents, as well as the laws of the land and will never flout them with impunity." With Supi Odansu were Obaatan Kwame Essuon, Supi Sam Odonsu, Supi Kow Omano, alias Adwoa Kowu, and Supi Andom-Ansah.

It will be recalled that, last Saturday, a section of Effutus in Winneba defied the orders of the IGP not to celebrate the Aboakyer festival.