Parliament to Intervene in Ga Mantse Dispute

• Posted on October 27, 2017
• by Ellsamwise King
• Comment

The Majority and Minority Members of Parliament are to hold separate meetings on the recent confusion over the Ga stool.

Odododiodio legislator, Nii Lante Vanderpuye disclosed that a joint statement by the two parliamentary caucuses will be issued after the meetings.

Central Accra has been the hotbed of violence as the issue of Ga chieftaincy has raised its head again.

At least three people have emerged with each claiming to be the rightful Ga Mantse.Four persons were arrested on Wednesday, after chaos erupted during a press conference by the Abola Piam We (Clan), at Ga Mashie in Accra.

This follows threats by the Royal House to install a new Ga Mantse.

According to the Abola Piam We, it is the rightful clan to install a new Ga Mantse.

As the Abola Piam We press conference was ongoing, some youth besieged the venue, claiming they had been sent by Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, who was installed over the weekend as the new Ga Mantse.

The rampaging youth also threatened the lives of journalists, accusing them of fanning the tensions over a traditional ruler in the Ga state.

The confusion over who qualifies to be the Ga Mantse has existed since the demise of Boni Nii Amugi II in December 2004, which was followed by several people laying claim to the stool.

Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II became the fifth Ga Mantse to be installed since the death of Nii Amugi II.

According to Ga tradition, the kingship rotates among four royal houses, namely, Teiko Tsuru We, Amugi We, Abola Piam We and Tackie Kommey We.

Speaking to Mamavi Owusu Aboagye on the AM Show on the JOYNEWS channel on the MultiTV Thursday, Mr. Vanderpuye said the issue is a sensitive one which needs careful treatment.

“I have discussed it with the Greater Accra Caucus and because of how technical it is, I want it to be a bipartisan Caucus,” he said.

He said he has done an extensive consultation to get all those who matter on both sides of the House to deliberate and issue an apolitical statement.

The former Sports Minister said an unstable Ga Mashie will also affect New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP’s like Okaikwe Central legislator, Patrick Boamah.

“We’ll try and see if as MP’s we can show leadership by intervening. We are not doing so to say who is king and who is not but see how together with security agencies we can bring peace,” he said.

He appealed to the Inspector General of Police to direct his officers on the ground to be measured in their dealings with the feuding parties noting “they are being highhanded in their approach to controlling the situation.”

Source: Myjoyonline