CULTURAL NEWS
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
REGSEC warns Ga Dzasetse
Story: Edmund Mingle
THE Greater Accra Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has warned that it will not countenance any act of lawlessness during this weekend’s Homowo festival at Ga Mashie in Accra.
“The REGSEC is determined to maintain peace, law and order in the region and the best anyone can do is to co-operate with the law enforcement agencies,” Sheikh I.C Quaye, the Regional Minister and Chairman of the Council, said at a news conference.
The news conference came a day after a group of elders in Ga Mashie threatened to disallow the Ga Mantse, King Tackie Tawiah 111, from performing customary rites during the festival.
The group, led by Nii Yaote Oto-Ga, Dzasetse or head of the Ga Dzase, the central authority of the Ga Paramount Stool, had told a news conference on Monday that they would “not tolerate Dr. Jo Blankson parading himself as Ga Mantse this Homowo, or his presence at the stool house to attempt performing any customary rites’.
In addition, the group which opposed the nomination and installation of Dr. Jo Blankson as Ga Mantse, said “any attempt by the Regional Minister and the AMA boss to use the security apparatus to coerce the people of Ga Mashie to allow Dr. Blankson to sprinkle Kpoikpoi this Homowo will not be countenanced”.
Sheikh Quaye said the REGSEC had taken serious note of the threats issued by the group, adding that “the enforcement of that threat could doubtlessly trigger another spate of mayhem of which our Regional Security Council has taken note and will act accordingly”.
He said “it is regrettable that the same Nii Oto-Ga who threatened fire and brimstone on anyone who dared to attend the coronation of the Ga Mantse”.
Sheikh Quaye also touched on the recent riots at Nungua as result of a clash between one chieftaincy faction and the police, and said calm has returned to the area.
ACP Douglas Akrofi Aseidu, Accra Regional Police Commander and member of REGSEC, answering a question on the measures being instituted to check lawlessness, said, a number of elders who were implicated in the recent riot at Gbese during Odadao, were being prosecuted.
He said Nii Oto-Ga is one of the suspects in that matter but was yet to be served criminal summons to appear in court.
According to him, Nii Oto-Ga “has been running away from us (Police), and I use this opportunity to ask him to report to the police in his own interest to be served with the summons”.
*Source
Ghanaian Times- Wednesday, August 8, 2007 Page: 3 |