Who is really the Ga chief?

For almost four months now, the people of Ga community including myself have not been able to apply ourselves to simple installation procedures of our Ga Mantse since the late Nii Amugi II passed away. The sub-chiefs also in the Ga community have also denied us of our legitimate right to have the substantive chiefs in their respective localities. Though, we presume there is a substantive Chief, he has never rested since there are a lot of court cases pending before his palace.

Inspite of the furore that is ongoing, the implications on some of us the youth are very worrying considering its associated effects. The chiefs we all know are gradually loosing the mantle to hold their people together in respect of the strong division engulfed within the community at the moment.

One of the cases pending before the Ga Chief’s palace of which a defence was open on the “18th May, 2007 as reported by Times Newspaper”, Gbese Mantse’s palace, Nungua chieftaincy palace are all in the premises of the court to be ruled either in favour or against the personalities involved not to mention the other areas with similar situation.

Just last Saturday, an incident that took place in Nungua township in respect of the celebration of the annual Homowo was marred with severe clashes and this time round it was with the police instead of the normal factional encounters between the two groups. It was very worrying when I heard the Regional Police Commander in the person of ACP Douglas Akrofi of Greater Accra engaged on an Accra Fm station with Nii Odai Ayiku II.

Considering these conundrums critically, I am of the opinion that, our chiefs who are supposed to be Lords over our stool lands and other properties are rather pursuing their own personal agenda through the sale of lands. This practice has actually denied us the ability to enjoy good quality living in terms of provision of jobs, schools, scholarships and other enormous benefits like houses belonging to the Ga state.

Inasmuch as possible, potential leaders in the Ga community have disappointed us and are not prepared to speak the truth but rather indulging in telling lies, corruption, bribery, falsehood and many others. The installation of the new Ga Mantse has been associated with the use of force behind the police.

In Ghana’s year of 50th anniversary celebration, when every tribe all over the country, would want to live in the spirit of peace and tranquility to unite entirely its fellow members to culminate in unifying the whole nation, the Gas especially and many other tribes are engaged in petty squabbles to destroy the quest for development in their respective areas.

As a Ga myself, I believe in a human institution one cannot disregard the power of friction, rancor and many others but instead to allow dialogue to prevail in the interest of all loving Gas and Ghanaians as well. The House of Chiefs should step up efforts in settling issues with regard to settling disputes instead of collecting bribes and supporting their favorites. The executives of the Chieftaincy Council should step up their efforts in reducing the numerous problems in the GA State before it escalates beyond reasonable level.