A row has erupted between the Akyepemhene of Asantehene, Oheneba Adusei Poku and Oheneyere Ama Serwaa over ownership of a parcel of land lying between Tanoso-Dominase and Boaso in the Atwima Nwabiagya District of the Ashanti Region.
The parcel of land, which is said to have been earmarked to the Oheneyere (the King’s wife) some time back by Otumfuo, is reportedly owned by the Akyepemhene who controls the Boaso stool lands.
The battle has since spilled into violent confrontation with recruitment of land guards and claims of attacks against each faction.
Supt. Joseph Nyaaba, Abuakwa District Police Commander, said claims of brutality against assigns of Oheneyere Ama Serwaa were unfounded as such incidents had not occurred in the area.
Clan head of Tanoso-Dominase royal family, Akwasi Agyeman, who speaks for Oheneyere Ama Serwaa, had accused the opposing party of recruiting land guards to terrorize them.
According to him, the lives of Tanoso-Dominase residents have changed dramatically after land guards invaded the area with the pledge to religiously protect the disputed land for an unnamed private developer.
Speaking to journalists about the development, Opanin Agyemang stated that residents had been scared by the presence of the land guards after they allegedly killed two people and maimed others.
However, his claims were dismissed as palpable lies when DAILY GUIDE contacted the Abuakwa District Police Command.
Supt. Nyaaba told the paper that the picture painted by Opanin Agyemang and his cohorts was not the true and fair view of the state of affairs, instead, an erroneous representation to deceive members of the public.
According to him, he was made to believe initially when the dispute started that the Akyepemhene’s faction was fomenting trouble, but it turned out to be the opposite, intimating that the Oheneyere’s faction rather attacked its opponents with the land guards.
“I don’t know about any death recorded in the area as a result of the dispute. It is a hoax, but a calculated plan to cause trouble. There is no frightening situation in the area”, said the police chief.
Meanwhile, Opanin Agyemang has appealed to the overlord of Asanteman, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to intervene, intimating that the Boaso divisional chief had arrogated to himself undue powers and was indiscriminately selling portions of the disputed land in apparent disregard to the king’s ban.
He said there was anxiety surrounding the callous incidents allegedly being perpetrated by the land guards and that the Asantehene’s intervention was needed immediately.
From Ernest Kofi Adu, Kumasi