Accra, April 25, GNA - Chieftaincy and Culture Minister, Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo on Wednesday appealed to the chiefs and people of the Akyem Kotoku Traditional Area in the Eastern Region to support the mediation exercise to put an end to the eight-year old chieftaincy dispute once and for all.

He assured a royal delegation from the traditional area that he would involve all the stakeholders in the peace process, including the Regional Minister, Mr Yaw Barima, Majority Leader Mr Felix Owusu-Adjapong, and MP for Akyem Oda, Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo. He said by next month, the matter would be put to rest once and for all.

The delegation led by Baffour Kwadwo Akwa I, Ahenenanahene of Akyem Oda, which called and presented a petition to the Minister in Accra, commended the Minister for commencing the mediation process. Parties to the petition, which has been pending before the Judicial Committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs since 1999, are the Abusuapaynin of the Agona Royal Family on the one hand and the Queenmother, Gyaasehene and one Joseph Kyei Minta on the other. Mr Boafo, who started the mediation in February, 2007, said he would present the petition to President John Agyekum Kufour and underscored the need for peace as a democratic principle for development.

The petition read by Baffour Acquah recognized that the mediation process did not go against the grain of justice in the country, since the nation's justice system recognized Alternative Dispute Resolution methods.

The petition, however, noted that there had been offshoots of conflicts from the major conflict over choice of a successor to the late Omanhene Okofrobour Agyeman Attafuah IV, in some towns within the Kotoku State.

The petition appealed to the Minister that if for any reason, he decided to turn the matter to the Judicial Committee for determination, then the matter must be heard within three months.