Confusion Over Hannah Bissiw Father�s Funeral

Reports reaching DAILY GUIDE suggest that tension is mounting at Dwomo, a community near Techimantia in the Tano South District of the Brong-Ahafo Region due to controversy over the holding of the final funeral rites of the father of Dr. Hannah Louisa Bissiw, Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture in charge of Livestock. According to reports, the Chief of Dwomo, Nana Koto Asamoah III, had invoked the Great Oath of Otumfuo Osei Tutu, debarring the family of Dr Bissiw�s late father, Nana Ofori Yeboah II, who was the Krontihene of Dwomo, from holding the funeral due to their blatant disrespect for the traditional authority and breach of the customs of people. The Dwomo chiefs asked the family of the late Krontihene to observe the customs and traditions of the area by officially informing the traditional council of his death so that the traditional council would lead the processes leading to his final funeral rites expected to be held tomorrow, Saturday, 31 May 2014. However, sources close to the family of the late Dwomo Krontihene told DAILY GUIDE that Dr Bissiw, who is reported to have hijacked the entire funeral, had refused to allow her family to liaise with the traditional authorities to do the right thing. Tension is mounting in the community due to the heavy presence of the security personnel in the town. A section of the family, who are not happy with the development, accused the deputy minister of disrespecting the chiefs and planning to defy the Otumfuo�s Great Oath to hold the funeral with the assistance of the security agencies. The Chief of Dwomo, Nana Koto Asamoah, confirmed the story when contacted by DAILY GUIDE. The Dwomohene, who bemoaned the actions of Dr Bissiw, the MP for Tano South, accused her of disrespecting the customs and traditions of the land. Nana Koto Asamoah told DAILY GUIDE that the late Krontihene engaged him in a protracted litigation in an effort to destool him. The chief stated that the late Krontihene dragged him to Manhyia Palace and the Brong-Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs on frivolous charges but lost at all levels. He said despite the protracted litigation, Hannah Bissiw�s father continued to serve as Krontihene of Dwomo, and therefore in line with the customs, the chief of the town had to be formally informed about his death, which occurred on February 22, 2014 to make the necessary arrangements for his befitting funeral. Meanwhile, DAILY GUIDE has learnt that various high-profile chiefs in the Tano area have refused to attend the said funeral due to the invocation of the Great Oath of Otumfuo by the Dwomohene.