Regional News of Tuesday, 22 September 2020

Source: Contributor, Kay Agbenyega

Peace returns as Akweh family is declared legitimate Kingmakers of Hwakpo community

Some residents of Hwakpo community in a joyful mood after the outcome of the ruling Some residents of Hwakpo community in a joyful mood after the outcome of the ruling

The Ada Paramount Stool has finally brought to an end, the ongoing chieftancy litigation in the Hwakpo Divisional Area by declaring the Akweh family as the legitimate Kingmakers of the Hwakpo community.

The people of the Hwakpo community expressed joy and optimism about the outcome of the case and indicated that the recent situation would bring lasting peace to the area.

Addressing the media after the ruling, Ernest Akweh, Secretary to the Akweh family noted that by the ruling of the Paramountcy, it is clear that the Hwakpo lands belong to the Akweh family.

He also established that the Ada Paramount Stool highlights the fact that the lands are inheritance from their great grandmothers and therefore by extension, they are the rightful owners of the Hwakpo lands.

He also admonished developers on the Hwakpo lands to “cease all projects forthwith,” and that any group of persons who would contravene the order would be dealt with according to the law.

On his part, the Stool father, Numo Gideon Gbli Akweh averred that Hwakpo is one of the divisional areas of the Ada traditional area which has enjoyed peace until ear 2019 when chieftancy litigation brought heightened tension in the area.

He said, two families, the Akweh and the Puplampo families have been at loggerheads over who has the power to install a chief after the demise of a caretaker chief of the area.

Caretaker chiefs have been leading the community since the demise of their Chief, Nyumuwanyo Akweh II in 1984, explaining that after the demise of their caretaker chief, the two families claiming to be king makers both installed a chief each for the same community.

The development sparked tension in the community as there were several clashes between members of the two families.

In order to restore peace and bring sanity to the chieftaincy institution in the area, the Paramount Chief of the Ada Traditional area, Nene Abram Kabu Akuaku constituted a committee of three eminent chiefs chaired by Nene Lomotey of the Lomobiawe clan of Ada to determine the true king makers of the Hwakpo division as means of ending the continues feud.

The committee after four months of sitting and hearing, have declared the Akweh family as king makers of Hwakpo.

According to the Committee, its decision was hinged on custom and tradition, research and evidence brought before it.

The stool father, Numo Gideon Gbli Akweh said preparations would kick start immediately to install their chief to ensure peace in the area. He however warned against trouble makers and illegal land sellers to desist before the law deals with them.

Meanwhile, women and children in the community took to the streets to celebrate that lasting peace is restored to the area.