Fomena (Ash), Oct. 27, GNA- The Adansi Traditional Council has said that there is no Odikro at Akwansrem in the Adansi East district and that it had no knowledge of any person styling him self as such. The Council said there had been no Odikro at Akwansrem since the mid 1980s, due to the protracted chieftaincy dispute over the Adansi stool, which ended in 1997. This is contained in a statement signed by Mr E.A. Asante, Senior Registrar of the Adansi Traditional Council and issued at the Bonsra-Afriyie palace in Fomena, on Monday.

"Any person who claims to be the Odikro of Akwansrem and purported to exercise jurisdiction or control over the Akwansrem community and its lands is therefore, an impostor or usurper must be resisted by all means," the statement said. It explained that Akwansrem land was part of lands under Bonsra-Afriyie stool of Adansi and that it was the Abediakyire stool of Fomena, which exercised jurisdiction over Akwansrem community and its lands for and on behalf of the Adansihene. The statement said the land for the state farms at Akwansrem, which had not been divested, was acquired during the First Republic. According to the statement, the Akotoso Farms limited, also validly acquired the land under the divestiture implementation programme in 1999. It pledged support and co-operation of the Adansihene to the Akotoso farms, the government and all other prospective investors at Akwansrem to ensure that their investments were protected to create job and improve the living standards of the community. The statement follows the arrest last Friday by the Police of Nana Annor Barima, who was described as Odikro of Akwansrem and some youth of the town for allegedly destroying oil palm plantations and properties of Akotoso farms. Nana Barima and his people are claiming ownership of the land, which was acquired in the First Republic for State Farms and which the Akotoso farms limited, had also acquired for an oil palm plantation in support of the President's Special Initiative on oil palm. 27 Oct 03