One of two claimants of the Ga traditional stool, Nii Adama Latse II who filed a writ in court challenging calls by his opponents on his legitimacy as the Ga Mantse of the traditional area has won the case.
At a court sitting presided by His Lordship Justice Kweku T. Ackaah-Boafo on November 16th, 2017 between Nii Dr. Tetteh Kwei II, Nii Agyemang Kese II as plaintiffs and the Ga Traditional Council, Nii Dodoo Nsaki II and Nii Adama Latse II as defendants the latter was rewarded with GHC2500 although the Counsel for the defendants appealed for GHC20,000 as costs.
The plaintiffs had earlier filed a writ of summons and a statement of Claim challenging the eligibility and installation of King Tackie Tawiah III when they recommended, endorsed and forwarded the Chieftaincy Declaration forms of George Tackie Abia also known as King Tackie Adama Latse II for his name to be gazetted in the National Register of Chiefs as Ga Mantse referring to it as null and void and of no legal effect.
The plaintiffs alleged that the activities of the Ga Traditional Council and Nii Dodoo Nsaki II gazetting Nii Adama Latse II into the National Register of Chiefs as Ga Mantse was fraudulent.
But the presiding Judge ruled out their submission stating that the plaintiffs had deliberately withheld critical information regarding the writ; the 3rd defendant (Nii Adama Latse II) had already been gazetted and included in the National Register of Chiefs in Kumasi.
Meanwhile, the office of the Gbese Mantse has said that the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has no mandate to instruct Gbese Mantse, Nii Ayi Bonte II, to stop parading himself as a member of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs.
The Spokesperson of Gbese Mantse Nii Ayi-Bonte II, Nii Annan Agbo, in a Citi News, said there was no basis for the Ministry’s order restraining the Chief.
REGSEC to settle dispute over Ga Mantse installation
The Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Kofi Dzamesi, in a letter dated October 27, 2017, and sighted by citifmonline.com, ordered Nii-Ayi Bonte and Nii Adama Latse II, the two claimants of the Ga stool to seize parading themselves as members of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs.
According to the Ministry, the two were inducted into the regional house of chiefs under unclear circumstances, which nullifies their inclusion as members.
He said, “the two should not attend upon the House, participate in any matters of the House, and no benefits and privileges or all other incidentals should be extended to the two referred above.” But the spokesperson for the Gbese Mantse insists that Nii-Ayi Bonte was duly inducted into the Regional House of Chiefs.
“I am not happy about the statement because the minister is not a principal kingmaker. This is related to Chieftaincy. Before anyone goes to the regional house of chiefs, the president at the traditional council has endorsed the person. I don’t know why he passed that statement that Nii Ayi Bonte has no right to go there. If he has any issue, he should go to the regional house of chiefs or the traditional council to enquire before passing any comment. The chieftaincy minister has trespassed. Gbese is at peace. Nobody is fighting the Gbese Mantse,” he told Citi News.
In October this year, acting President of the Ga Traditional Council, Nii Dodoo Nsaki II, who is also Otublohum Mantse, asked the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs to reverse the induction of Nii Adama Latse as the Ga Mantse into its fold.
The Council said at the time that it had picked reports in sections of the media suggesting that Nii Adama Latse had been inducted into the House of Chiefs as Ga Mantse.
Find the court ruling below
Ga chieftaincy disputes: Nii Adama Latse II wins court case
-