KUMASI TRADITIONAL COUNCIL WORRIED

Members of the Kumasi Traditional Council have raised issues with some matters they say are undermining their authority as well as socio-economic development of the Kumasi metropolis. 

Among their concerns are the central government’s release of minerals explorations and mining concessions to companies and individuals without consulting them as custodians of the land. 

They have also accused the Lands Commission of allegedly selling stool lands on the blind side of the chiefs. 

These concerns were raised at the meeting of the Traditional Council in Kumasi. 

The Meeting, Chaired by the Bantamahene, Baffuo Asare Owusu Amankwatia who deputized for the Asantehene, discussed many other issues of concern to the chiefs and people of the Ashanti region. 

In his remarks, the Bantamahene noted with serious reservations the operations of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly including an alleged lack of transparency in their revenue generation and also the show of gross disrespect to the traditional authority. 

These tendencies, Baffuo Asare Owusu Amankwatia warned, must be stopped in the interest of Kumasi’s development. 

Among the many other concerns raised were the poor sanitation of the city that is posing serious health risk to the residents, attempts by some individuals to stop execution of the Kejetia Terminal as well as what they say is the KMA’s show of disrespect to the traditional authority in the management of affairs of Kumasi.

 He said the Traditional Council will no longer sit unconcerned for matters to go the way they but noted that the chiefs are only seeking to actively partake in the governance of Kumasi and not to usurp the powers of the political authority. 

Baffuo Asare Owusu Amankwatia therefore proposed for the consideration of the Asantehene, the setting up of a Standing Committee that will serve as the development wing of the Council so as to keep Nananom constantly updated on development issues of the city. 

A Linguist of the Asantehene, Kyeame Kwaku Owusu, blamed traditional leaders for the upsurge in illegal gold mining activities within the region that have already caused irreparable destruction to arable lands and water sources. 

He categorically accused some of the chiefs for fronting for the galamsey operators to fulfill their personal interest at the expense of their communities and the unborn generations.

 He also rejected attempts by successive governments to sideline traditional leaders in giving out mining concessions to miners.