Attempted ‘coup’ on Ga mantse foiled

Nii Tackie Tawiah II Ga mantse         The suspicion and sour relationship between the Ga chief, Nii Tackie Tawia II, and the government look set to worsen after a claimant to the Ga stool attempted an installation process with the alleged assistance of national security, Sunday morning. The 'coup makers' led by Nii Ayittey Canada descended into the shrine of the Ga chief Priest accompanied by officers of the national security with goats and other traditional materials for the installation rituals to be performed. Nii Ayittey Canada is claiming the throne under the stool name Nii Tackie Oblie III. It is his third such attempt to be installed, Joy News has learnt. An elder of the Sakumono chief priest told Joy News they resisted the installation process because the claimant has not been sanctioned by the king makers. “We were in our house and we heard people were coming with goats and things and we asked them what they were doing with the goats here and they said they were coming to perform customary [rites]. “We told them that it was not the right way to do that thing because they have to inform all the elders in the house", Nii Jabeng an elder of the Sakumono shrine said. According to him, the claimant, Nii Canada came with elders and Jaasetse who were at best, strangers to the Ga stool. Nii Jabeng confirmed the presence of the national security operatives, adding the head of the Sakumono shrine, elder of the Ga state, was on Thursday invited to a meeting by officers of national security on ways to bring peace into the Ga state. He said they were surprised to see the officers on Sunday in the company of the claimant with the objective of assisting in his installation. He said the timely intervention of the James Town police restored peace and order. The police have declined to comment on the matter except to say that they are investigating. A spokesperson of the Ga mantse, Nii Boye Abbey said the installation attempts vindicate their allegations that government has taken sides. The Ga mantse have publicly criticized president Mills over what he says is government’s deliberate plan to undermine his authority by sidelining him. But government insists Nii Tackie Tawia II must be gazetted before he will be officially recognized. Nii Boye Abbey said: “We find it (installation attempt) very distasteful and is an unfortunate situation and a very big shame to them." Story By Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

NPP delegation visits Ga mantse

Nii Tackie Tawiah Officials of the opposition New Patriotic Party have defended the decision to pay a courtesy call on the Ga mantse, Nii Tackie Tawiah II. The newly elected national executives of the party on Monday paid homage to the Ga chief and to introduce themselves and their new positions to the chief whose legitimacy is under siege. Critics have questioned the timing and motive of the visit. The Ga chief has in the last few weeks been involved in a war of words with some government officials after he accused the Mills administration of sidelining him and disrespecting the Ga traditions. He challenged the government to prove allegations that the erstwhile New Patriotic Party government manipulated the installation process to have him installed as chief. Subsequently, some government officials demanded that he clears all litigations against him, and be registered as a chief before being recognised by government. In the midst of these controversies, the National Chairman of the NPP Jake Obetsebi Lamptey told Joy News’ Elvis Adjetey, failure to visit the Ga chief will smack of sheer hypocrisy and double standards. According to him, he has led a delegation to the Ga chief on countless occasions in the past and not to do so now will be inappropriate. He would not be drawn into the raging controversies between the Ga chief and the government. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

Presidency will not recognise Ga mantse until....

President John Mills The Member of Parliament for Odododiodio constituency in Accra says the presidency cannot recognize the Ga Mantse until his position has been gazetted. According to Nii Tackie Commey, the raging battle over the real custodian of the Ga stool makes it impossible for the presidency to invite members of the Ga-traditional council for official state functions. Ga Mantse Nii Tackie Tawiah accused the president of listening to advice from “standard seven” school leavers making him impervious to the real status of the Ga State. He also accused the presidency of sidelining him in all official ceremonies, warning “they (Ga chiefs) would not sit down like fools for others to be invited for state functions held in the Ga state.' However in an interview with Citi News, the MP quoted the chieftaincy act 759 section 67(5) which stated clearly that unless a person has been registered and gazzetted, he cannot be recognized as a chief. He said until the Ga mantse’s position is formally recognized, the presidency would have nothing to do with him. “I am saying where you have two people claiming ownership of one property, or one stool, do you think it will be appropriate if you were in that shoe to invite any of them. Which of them are you to invite,” he quizzed. But the Public Relations Officer of the Ga Mantse said that position is flawed. Even though he admitted that the Ga Mantse position has not been gazzetted he explained that a court ruling on 18th July, 2008 clearly ruled that Nii Tackie Tawiah is the Ga Mantse and has the right to perform customary rites on behalf of the Ga State. He said the impression of an impasse surrounding the Ga chieftaincy does not mean that Nii Tackie Tawiah cannot hold himself out as Ga Mantse. He said the very notion that the Ga chief was installed during the administration of the erstwhile NPP government is not enough basis to say that the Ga Mantse was installed by the previous government. Otherwise any chief installed anywhere in the country under the reign of the NDC can equally be said to be politically manipulated, he argued. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana