Less than 24 hours before the celebration of this year’s National Farmers Day, which is to take place at Tarkwa, the Paramount Chief of Wassa Fiase Traditional Area, Katakyie Ntsiful Essel V and his divisional chiefs have decided to boycott the National Farmer’s Day celebration.
Their decision is borne out of an alleged disrespect to the Paramount Chief by the MCE and MP for Tarkwa Nsuaem as well as the Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah.
Addressing a press conference on behalf of the Wassa Fiase Traditional Area, the Chief of Esuaso, Nana Kwasi Attobrah said the traditional area led by the Paramount Chief will not attend the national event due to courtesy breaches in the invitation by the MCE, Benjamin Kesse, MP, George Mireku Duker and the Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah.
“When it was announced that the Farmers Day celebration was going to be held at Tarkwa, the proper thing was for the two officials (MCE and Tarkwa) together with the Regional Minister to have called upon the Paramount Chief to traditionally inform him and make whatever necessary arrangements with him and the Traditional Council to welcome the President and all dignitaries to Tarkwa.
“As usual, this did not happen but rather only a few days before the programme, a letter was sent from the MCE to invite the Traditional Council to the celebration with the programme outline which we deem as inappropriate and disrespectful for Nananom. We are most unhappy about this total lack of respect towards our overlord by the MP and the MCE and by extension the Western Regional Minister.”
They added, “The Omanhene is the landlord of Wassa Fiase and he is not even consulted when you want to come into his territory to organize such an event? We have said time and time again that it is the appointees of the government who always give the government a bad name.
“As of now, all Divisional Chiefs, Queen mothers and sub-divisional chiefs within Wassa Fiase Traditional Area together with our statutorily recognized Omanhene, Katakyie Ntsiful Essel V are NOT going to attend this year’s Farmers Day celebrations.”
Surrounded by members of the Wassa Fiase traditional area, the Chief of Esuaso, Nana Kwasi Attobrah further said the conduct of the local and regional authorities is just a continuation of their disregard of the office of the Paramount Chief despite his gazetting.
“We Wassa Fiase Traditional Area are expressing our utmost displeasure at the total lack of respect from the MCE and MP for Tarkwa Nsuaem as well as the Hon. Western Regional Minister towards Nananom over the past years and which has culminated in the deliberate sidelining of them in the Farmers Day celebration taking place at Tarkwa tomorrow We the chiefs have an overlord thus the Paramount Chief of Wassa Fiase Traditional Area in the person of Katakyie Ntsiful Essel V who has been officially gazetted and as such remains the only recognized Paramount Chief of Wassa Fiase Traditional Area.
Ever since the gazetting of our Paramount chief which has been brought to the attention of the MP and the MCE, no attempt has been made by either of them to customarily acknowledge Katakyie Ntsiful Essel V. No invitation has ever been sent to Katakyie to attend any function organized by any of them. Neither of them have officially called on the Paramount Chief to customarily greet him.” he added.
Nana Kwasi Attobrah further stressed Nananoom’s preparedness to kick against such disrespect by appointees at the traditional authority.
“We wish to state that any official who does not respect the traditional norms of Ghana will also not be accorded the due respect. Is this treatment meted out to the Paramount Chief and Nananom fair? Which Traditional Area will countenance this attitude from the Hon. MCE, MP and Western Region Minister? It’s high time these Political actors desist from chieftaincy-laced partisan politics to avert chaos in the Traditional Area and the Region as a whole.” he cautioned.
