Opinion Leaders and assembly members in the Fanteakwa South District have raised concerns about the rising tensions in some communities in the district.
Residents of Akyem Hemang, Akyem Gyampomani and Akyem Dome for some days now have engaged in accusations, attacks and counter-attacks over boundaries and alleged pollution of river Akrasu by activities of small-scale miners in the area.
This attacks on Saturday led to the blocking of roads in the area a situation which forced the regional police command to deploy extra men to the area from Osino and Bunso police stations to patrol the area.
In an interview with Citi News, the District Chief Executive Officer for Fanteakwa South Adjabeng Kwasi Ntori revealed that the chieftaincy disputes and unrest are financially draining the accounts of the district.
“The recent unrest in the district is a big problem for the assembly, in terms of finances. It is a problem because the common fund we receive is for development but not meant to pay for rationing. There are projects we are undertaking even on credit that we are always waiting for common fund to be released to us for us to settle those we owe so this unrest is affecting us and it will continue to affect our resources if it continues”.
He said the assembly will now channel its resources into development after calm has been restored in the area.
Adjabeng Kwasi Ntori further revealed that the district security council may engage the services of other prominent chiefs to mediate the chieftaincy disputes in the area after the DISEC’s meeting on Thursday.
“We are going to have a DISEC meeting on Thursday and we will call on all the party’s involved to calm down and we will invite the chiefs and sit down with them in order to resolve the issue. Because this chieftaincy issue should have been taken over by the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council headed by Okyehene but because of the situation, I think the DISEC will look for another option whether to fall on another prominent chief who will come in to settle the dispute between the chiefs”.
The Assembly Member for Osino Achiase electoral area, Dompreh Samuel who is equally worried about the situation wants an immediate resolution.
“This has become a burden hanging over the neck of the district assembly and its members. You know the assembly is a new district created last year in March and we are a year old so if this problem continues then we will not get the needed infrastructural development in the district”.
He, however, indicated that the unrest is likely to scare away potential investors.
“We need good roads, hospitals and schools so if this problem continuous the district will not get its fair share and in the same vain prevent other investors from coming into the communities to invest because no businessman will want to operate in a hostile environment. So I’m calling on all the stakeholders involved to come together and find lasting solutions to these problems”.
