The Eastern Regional House of Chiefs has ordered the closure of Kwahu Nkwatia Chief’s palace.
All occupants of the palace have been directed to vacate the place as of March 2, 2022.
The closure is to enable the Registrar to secure the palace and take stoke of the properties therein, according to a statement issued by the house of chiefs.
The decision to close the palace follows a ruling by the Koforidua Court of Appeal dismissing the application for stay of execution against the House of Chiefs’ order for the registrar to take over the palace.
The Koforidua Court of Appeal presided by 3 Appeal Court Judges dismissed the Application for stay of execution filed by the Nkwatia Akyeamehene and other plaintiffs seeking to restrain the Registrar of Eastern Regional House of Chiefs from taking charge of Nkwatia Chief palace and its traditional properties therein.
This means that the Registrar of the Regional House of Chiefs can now go-ahead to take over the Nkwatia Palace as earlier directed by Nananom of the Regional House of Chiefs.
Meanwhile, the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs on three occasions has failed to deliver its final judgment on the Kwahu- Nkwatia Chieftaincy case since last year with reasons yet to be known.
This follows a previous ruling delivered by the Judicial Committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs which ordered the Registrar, Richmond Perseus to forcefully eject the self-acclaimed chief, Samuel Boama Danso after he allegedly occupied the Nkwatia Palace including all properties belonging to the Nkwatia Stool.
Samuel Boama Danso after he allegedly occupied the Nkwatia Palace when a challenge against his enstoolment quickly petitioned the National House of Chiefs to block the Regional Judicial Committee decision and has since refused to move out from the palace.
The Judicial Committee chaired by its President, Nene Sakite, the Konor of Manya Krobo Traditional council with four others after giving all the listening ears to both sides, decide to give the final ruling on 15th December 2021, but it was canceled on the 14th a day before without any reason.
It was later adjourned to 2nd February 2022 and was also canceled at the last minute. It was further postponed to take place on 23rd February but was called off on a day before until further notice.
Due to that, the situation is creating tension in the local community as the residents are losing interest in the Regional House of Chiefs on how they are handling the case.
Sources indicated some authorities have intervened to block the final judgment to take place since they believe it will go against the self-acclaimed Chief, hence undermining the process.
Meanwhile, some of the sub-chiefs who are also not happy with the delayed judgment and are boldly speaking against it, now live in fear as a result of some threats mounted on them by some powerful men.
Last week, the Gyaasehene of the Nkwatia Traditional area, saloon car got burnt by an unknown man on one early morning.
Samuel Boama Danso, according to the Regional House, was illegally installed as chief of Nkwatia in October 2020 with a stool name Nana Boama Ayiripe II, by the Krontihene of Nkwatia – Nana Osei Tutu Ababio and section of tool elders and kingmakers under heavy military and police protection.
His installation was later challenged by the queen mother of the town, Nana Agyeiwaa Kodie II, and nine others at the Judicial Committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs, where the council found reason in her application.
The petition was initially dismissed by the Judicial Committee of Kwahu Traditional Council on October 16, 2020, before the petitioners appealed at the Regional House of Chiefs.
They subsequently applied for an interlocutory injunction on November 20, 2020, against the respondent from carrying himself as chief of Nkwatia, and that was granted in a ruling delivered on March 24, 2021, by the Judicial Committee pending the final determination of the substantive case.
A protracted chieftaincy dispute rendered the Kwahu-Nkwatia Stool vacant for three years after the death of Nana Atuobi Yiadom IV in 2016, who reigned for 60 years.
Source: Mybrytnewsroom.com/Obed Ansah
