Tension is gradually mounting in Breman Brakwa as tempers are high over a protracted chieftaincy dispute since 1993.

The dispute has retarded progress and development of the town, as the people are divided into factions.

The sub-chiefs led by the queenmother, Nana Yaa Asantewaa III, the Mankrado, Nana Asampong Ntow and some family heads (Ebusua-mpanyimfo) were alleged to have spearheaded the dispute with the connivance of the chief of Ajumako, Nana Kwamena Hammah Ababio II.

Attempts by Brakwa Youth Association (BYA), District Assembly and some prominent citizens including the new District Chief Executive for Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, Mr. S. K. Anfako to settle the impasse were spoiled by the destooled queenmother and her faction.

Then on Sunday, October 28, the youth of Brakwa, including those resident in Takoradi, Accra and Tema, converged on the town and invited the chiefs for an amicable settlement of the dispute to pave way for peace and development but the destooled queenmother refused to turn up contrary to the oath she swore to respond to calls at all times.

The queenmother was also reported to have threatened the youth who went to her house that if they did not leave her house, they would be inflicted with blindness or death within one week.

The chairman of BYA, Mr. Kingsley K. Akyerefi and Mr. Robert Yaw Donkor, leader of the Takoradi Youth and other executives, wondered why the queenmother who had already been destooled by her Asenie No. 1 Royal Family with a sheep and other rites performed about three years ago, should be given room to operate as if she is still the queenmother of the town.

Following last week's incident, the youth were compelled to invite Ebusuapanyin Yaw Oppong to perform another destoolment rites with the youth themselves providing a sheep and a bottle of schnapps for the necessary rites to confirm Nana Yaa Asantewaa's destoolment.

As a result, libation was poured and the sheep slaughtered to complete her destoolment. After the performance of the rituals, the youth called on the Ebusuapanyin to nominate a new queenmother within one week.

Giving the background of the dispute to the Chronicle, the Vice-Chairman, Opanyin Kwadwo Boye said even though the dispute was settled some time ago, barely two years later, it raised its ugly head again between Odikro Nana Yamoah IV and the queenmother over the old allegations with accused the Odikro of having misappropriated Oman funds.

According to the Vice-Chairman, even though the case was later tried at a Cape Coast Regional Tribunal, which found the Odikro not guilty, some dignitaries are suspected to be behind the current unrest in the town.

Other citizens Chronicle talked to were unanimous in calling on the government to intervene as a matter of urgency to prevent a possible violence as tempers continued to rise daily.