Winneba, Dec. 19, GNA - The Kingmakers and Elders of the Otuano Royal Stool House of Winneba, Asafo Companies and the Oman have notified the President of the Central Regional House of Chiefs of the destoolment of Neenyi Ghartey VII, the Former Paramount Chief of the Effutu Traditional Area.

In a "Notice of Destoolment of Neenyi Ghartey VII, Effutu Omanhene", addressed to the President of the Central Regional House of Chief and copied to the GNA, said: "Head of the Kingmakers of the Otuano Royal Stool House of Winneba, ably supported by the majority of kingmakers and Elders of the Royal Stool House and the entire leadership of Number One and Number Two Asafo Companies, who together constitute the Oman of Effutu, the Divisional and Sub Chiefs performed the traditional customary rites to destool Neenyi Ghartey VII as the Omanhene of Winneba." The notice, which Ebusuapanyin Kweku Kyikyibi signed, said his purported removal by the Former Omanhene was alien to time honoured customs and usages, explaining that no where was a Chief clothed with the power to remove his Ebusuapanyin.

The notice said: "It is a case of the Stool family, the Kingmakers, Elders and Asafo Companies, the Divisional and Sub-Chiefs on one hand against a proud, disrespectful and arrogant chief on the other." It said: "Under Effutu custom, the customary destoolment of a chief is performed by the pouring of libation at the Otuano Stool House, the slaughtering of a ram and firing of musketry at Fante Fante (the traditional destoolment grounds). This was endorsed by a judgement of your Honourable Tribunal dated 30th June 1977 and I invite you to take judicial notice of it.

"Needless to emphasise that this custom, once performed cannot be reversed, cancelled, ignored or vacated by mere verbal defiance, arrogance, stubbornness or administrative fiat. Only a competent judicial body can pronounce on it. "The Kingmakers and Elders of Otuano Royal House, the Asafo Companies and Oman hereby serve notice that Neenyi Ghartey alias Daniel Kobina Bortse has been destooled and any attempt to deal with him in a manner contrary to our declared and expressed position will invite the wrath and anger of the people.. "It is my hope and prayer that the wishes of the people as expressed by the Kingmakers will be given official respect in the supreme interest of peace in the Area," the notice said.