Saltpond (C/R), March 7, GNA - The Mfantseman Acting District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Robert Quainoo-Arthur has stated that his prime concern is to ensure the socio-economic development of the area and not to dabble in chieftaincy disputes, which retards progress.

He said apart from development, a DCE should ensure that the people in the district lived in peace and stressed that nothing would detract his attention from performing his assigned duties.

The Acting DCE was reacting to a news conference by Nana Ama Amissah III, one of the two contesting the Queen mother's stool in the Mankessim chieftaincy dispute.

She accused him of taking sides in the dispute by accompanying the other contestant, Nana Araba Otua on a trip to the United States of America.

Mr Quainoo-Arthur pointed out that his trip to the United States with Nana Araba Otua did not mean recognition for her as the Queen mother of Mankessim.

He explained that Nana Otua initiated the sister-city relations between Mankessim and Inglewood in California, United States.

The Acting DCE stated that, when the documents on the programme came up for his approval, a meeting of the District Security Council found it imperative that he had to go on the trip "to give it an official touch". Mr Quainoo-Arthur said a meeting of the two factions was called and said they were asked to nominate a delegate each for the trip.

Ebusuapanyin Kwame Ababio of the faction of Nana Amissah suggested to Ebusuapanyin Ebo Imbeah of Nana Otua's group that the two contestants should make the trip together and to sit down on their return to resolve their differences.

The Acting DCE said both of them were co-operating with the organisers until their pictures were demanded for the processing of their passports.

Mr Quainoo-Arthur pointed out that to remain neutral in the dispute did not mean that he had to stand in the way to bring improvement to improve the standard of living of the people.

He said that he would give the same attention and support to any programme initiated by Nana Amissah to ensure the development of the area.

On allegation that he sacked Nana Amissah from his office, the DCE said she went to his office to attend a meeting convened for paramount chiefs.

Since she was not one of them and because of the chieftaincy dispute I drew the attention of the Chiefs and they asked Nana Amissah to excuse them, Mr Quainoo-Arthur stated.

"She is a citizen of the district, I could not sack her from my office whenever she needs my help", the DCE said.

Mr Quainoo-Arthur expressed disappointment about how a reply to a letter by the DISEC to the Central Regional Consultative Council (RCC) found its way to one of the factions in the dispute.

He stated, "if people who have taken the oath of secrecy can divulge information about the security of a district to people who should not know of it, then the security of the region is in danger". A thorough investigation must be conducted into the matter and those found to have behaved wrongly should be dealt with according to the law, Mr Quainoo-Arthur added.