By The chiefs and residents of Weta in the Ketu North Municipality of the Volta Region are urging the Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs to suspend the upcoming inauguration of its Traditional Council.
Their request stems from significant concerns surrounding unresolved issues within the chieftaincy system, resulting in a halt in development progress in the area.
In a statement released by community leaders, they emphasized the urgent necessity to address long-standing challenges hindering progress and prosperity in Weta.
They emphasized that the inauguration of the Traditional Council should be halted until these critical issues are effectively addressed.
This call for suspension comes amid increasing frustration among the chiefs and residents regarding the perceived lack of development initiatives and the failure to address key concerns within the chieftaincy system.
Speaking to JoyNews, the Dusifiaga of the Weta Traditional area, Torgbui Ashiagbor IV, stated “We cannot afford to inaugurate a Traditional Council while our people continue to face obstacles to progress. Our community has been plagued by issues within the chieftaincy system that have hampered development initiatives and left our youth without adequate opportunities.”
The community has raised primary concerns regarding disputes over the occupancy of the paramount stool, conflicting interpretations of customary laws, and unresolved succession disputes within various chieftaincy lineages.
The community members assert that these issues have not only resulted in a lack of clarity in governance but have also contributed to a climate of uncertainty and tension within the community.
Torgbui Ashiagbor IV stated that disputes have arisen from conflicting claims of legitimacy and misrepresentation by the two chiefs, both of whom hold the title ‘Torgbui Akpor Ashiakpor VI’.
He noted that the issue arose when the kingmakers of the Akpor enstooled a chief, and during the process of his outdoor ceremony, he asserted that “a strange man”, Nelson Believer Glago, surfaced and started parading himself as a chief with the same name, Torgbui Akppor Ashiakpor VI.
The Dusifiaga of the Weta Traditional area further mentioned that the Regional House of Chiefs has ruled for both claimants to be afforded an equal opportunity to continue their functions as chiefs until the final determination of the substantive case.
“We cannot delve further into the issue because this claim has been in serious contention at the Volta Regional House of Chiefs since 2008. However, the veritable Torgbui Akpor Ashiakpor VI, having anticipated that justice delayed is justice denied, and recognising that the delay in the judicial process at the Regional House of Chiefs could cause havoc to his people, filed an interlocutory injunction to restrain the alleged impersonator from using his name,”he said.
He also highlighted that the aforementioned ruling has drawn criticism and exacerbated tensions between the chiefs, leading to a chaotic situation in the area. “The reality is that having two chiefs with the same black stool is considered an abomination in our land,” the Dusifiaga asserted.
Furthermore, residents have emphasised the need for infrastructure development, resolving the chieftaincy issues involving two people bearing the same stool name, and enhancing access to healthcare, education, and economic opportunities.
They argued that without addressing the root causes of these challenges, the inauguration of the Traditional Council would be symbolic rather than substantive in effecting positive change.
