Chieftaincy disputes have been very serious challenge in Ghana. In recent times, there have been reports of violence over chieftaincy dispute, such as the Teshie dispute, which indeed claimed the life of one person and several injured.
There’s substantial evidence to prove that, chieftaincy disputes leads to retrogression of communities. A classical example is the over 13 years disagreement on who should be chief in Berekum, which has contributed immensely to the under development of the once the Golden city of Brong Ahafo.
The question which keeps echoing is why elders and kin-makers can’t make a firm, fare, truthful and uncompromising decisions in determining and installing a chief in a community. Is it that, they cannot envision the implications of their actions on the community?
On Monday the 24th of June this year, Kato a suburb of Berekum, which hasn’t had a chief for over 12 years after the death of the previous chief witnessed an ‘installation’ of a new Kato Hene, Nana Febiri Amoanim .
But, in an exclusive statement issued by the Nana Abena Amanua, a spokesperson to Kato Hemaa, Nana Afia Siraa Ababio III, the queen and some elders vehemently dissociate themselves from the installation of the new chief for Kato Traditional area.
The question is how is it possible for a chief to be installed in a community without the knowledge of the queen and other key elders who are indeed kin-makers? Is it the beginning of another protracted chieftaincy dispute in Berekum?
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Voice of Nana Nana Abena Amanua