The Concerned Youth of Okuapeman has urged Okyehene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin to refrain from meddling in the processes leading to the nomination, acceptance, confinement and eventual installation of the next Okuapehene.

According to the youth, as the President of the Regional House of chiefs, the Okyehene attended the Odwira festival marked by one of the faction chiefs of the Gyase Division of the Akwapim Traditional Area in Amonokrom by name Osim Kwatia, whilst he knew that the issue was before the Court.

“As the President of the Regional House of chiefs we humbly advise you to stay away from attending programmes of chiefs who haven’t been gazzeted.

“We are also aware that the judicial committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs is headed by its President, Osaagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin II.

” The President of the Eastern Regional house of Chiefs (who is also the occupant of the Ofori Payin Stool of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area) is not a member of the Sekyiabia Royal Family of the Asona clan and, therefore, has no locus within the traditional setup to meddle but can advise after the installation of Okuapehene.

“We are aware of your invitations and subsequent meeting with the Okuapehemaa and some of the Kingmakers to try and settle the matter. Since some of them are citing you as an authority,” the petition by the youth read in part.

Read below the full statement

CONCERNED YOUTH OF OKUAPEMAN JANUARY 2ND, 2018 PETITION: OKYEHENE MUST STAY AWAY FROM OKUAPEMAN CHIEFTAINCY ISSUES PRESIDENT OF THE EASTERN REGIONAL HOUSE OF CHIEFS SHOULD NOT MEDDLE IN THE OKUAPEMAN CHIEFTAINCY ISSUES.

Happy New Year Nana may you live long.

i. Okyehene Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin ever since you were re-elected as the President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs.Working for another four-year term as President.We for the first time want to congratulate you on the position and urge you on to greater heights.

ii. Nana as we congratulate we the natives of Okuapeman urge and honorably plead with you to refrain from meddling in the processes leading to the nomination, acceptance, confinement and eventual installation of the next Okuapehene.

iii. This petition has become imperative for the following reasons:

i. We have realized that under your tenure as the President of the Eastern Regional looming chieftaincy disputes have increased in the region, as concerned Youth of Okuapeman we recognize that the role of the chieftaincy institution is relevant as ever and we would always want to see Nananom, as a role models as we continue to see and emulate you, Sir.

ii. Last year as the President of the Regional House of chiefs you attended the Odwira festival marked by one of the faction chiefs of the Gyase Division of the Akwapim Traditional Area in Amonokrom by name Osim Kwatia, whilst you knew that the issue was before the Court.

iii. As the President of the Regional House of chiefs, we humbly advise you to stay away from attending programmes of chiefs who haven’t been gazzeted.

iv. We are also aware that the judicial committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs is headed by its President, Osaagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin II.

v. The President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs (who is also the occupant of the Ofori Payin Stool of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area) is not a member of the Sekyiabia Royal Family of the Asona clan and, therefore, has no locus within the traditional setup to meddle but can advise after the installation of Okuapehene.

vi. We are aware of your invitations and subsequent meeting with the Okuapehemaa and some of the Kingmakers to try and settle the matter. Since some of them are citing you as an authority.

vii. These activities since the commencement of the process of installing the next Okuapehene have tended to instigate and fuel the litigation over the confinement of two separate candidates by the same royal House as a prelude to the installation of a new Okuapehene.

viii. We are calling on Osagyefo Amotia Ofori Payin to rather look into the criminal act of breaking broke into the Omanhene’s Palace, the deafening silence of the President seemed to have legitimized the criminal act.

ix. The purported installation of Odehye Kojo Kesse under the supervision of the Chief of Amonokrom who has not been gazetted breached the Public Order Act which enjoins organisers of such activities to obtain police permission.

x. We are also calling on you to caution Acting President of the Akwapim traditional Council Osahene Offei Agyeman on his activities.

xi. At a recent press conference held in his palace by some kingmakers purporting to legitimise the installation of Odehye Tatoo candidate Kojo Kesse gives credence to the fact that the Acting President Osahene Offei Agyeman supports the criminal act, particularly, when he used his palace as a conduit.

xii. It has also come to our notice that some of the chiefs who met at his palace have not been gazetted, an act which indicates that the Acting President is using illegitimate persons to instigate and fuel chieftaincy dispute in the traditional area. One of such persons is Nana Osim Kwatia II, Chief of Amanokrom.

xiii. We also call on you to caution the Chief of Amanokrom to stop stoking the fires and allow the legitimate Odehye, chosen by the Old ladies in the Sakyiabea Royal Family, to exercise their authority.

xiv. As the youth of Okuapeman, we are concerned about the consequences of the imminent protracted litigation in the Traditional Area.

xv. The looming chieftaincy dispute could negatively affect the development of the entire Akuapem Traditional Area and a possible domino effect in the Eastern Region as a whole. Already, this litigation has led to the virtual dwindling of paramountcies in the Eastern Region under your watch.

xvi. We the natives and the Concerned Youth of Okuapeman will do everything legallypossible to protect the legacy of the immediate-past Omanhene, the late Oseadeeyo Addo Dankwa III, who ascended the throne in 1974 at the age of 44 and brought honour and dignity to the area when he reigned continuously for 41 years before passing in August 2015.

vii. We have resolved not to allow any self-conceited persons to send the area back to the era when the Akuapem paramountcy was characterized by strife and dissension since 1907.

xviii. Against this background, we humbly urge you to advice the Acting President, his agents and assigns to refrain from using your name in interfering in the authorized, legitimate traditional roles of the Asona clan.