Former Attorney General: I Suspect Government's Role In Ga Mantse Impasse

A prominent Ga lawyer and former Attorney General and Minister for Justice says politicians played a key but behind the scenes role in the recent purported installation of a new Ga Mantse Nii Adama Latse II. J. Ayikoi Otoo told Citi News the �biased� posture of the security personnel at the installation ceremony lends credence to his suspicion. �You find that when Aryittey Canada, another claimant to the Ga Stool, attempted to do this same thing, the security agencies were informed and quickly they went to the site and the people had to run away. Why is it that, in this case, nobody was even prepared to talk? At the end of the day, the one who spoke said they had plain-clothed policemen on the ground" he pointed out. "Who is afraid of a plain-clothed policeman? I will not even recognise you unless you show an ID card for me to know you are a security man, other than that I will see you as an ordinary man. But when I see people carrying AK-47s and other weapons, then I will believe that there is some police. �Again, we heard the news that King Tackie Tawiah�s people were massing themselves to take over the Palace, then immediately, the security agencies now went there with tanks and others and said nobody can enter this place. But at the same time, they allowed these people to remain in the Palace knowing very well that these are thugs who have invaded the place and taken it over�. Mr. Ayikoi Otoo dismissed claims that the NPP administration under President Kufuor with the support of some Ga Ministers aided the enstoolment of King Tackie Tawiah III. "Let�s ask whether there was a vacancy to be filled when Nii Amugi died. Clearly, there was a vacancy and those whose duty it is to fill that vacancy went ahead to bring somebody and said this is the one we have got. I remember that all that happened was that he had a coronation at which security presence was felt by everybody because he had to bring in the Police to ensure that these things were done properly. I don�t know whether that is what the accusers are talking about. But I doubt whether Kufuor who is an Ashanti had any hand in installing a Ga Chief. At the end of the day, it is the Kingmakers who should decide� he noted. In another development, some elders of the Asere Dzase (Kingmakers) of the Ga State have described the purported installation of Nii Tackie Adama Latse II by the acting Asere Mantse as premature and improper. At a news conference on Thursday June 16, the Asere Dzase elders said laid down procedures were not followed in enstooling Nii Tackie Adama Latse II as the new King of the Ga mashie. They warned that last weekend�s installation and subsequent activities could plunge the Ga State into further chaos if not addressed quickly and preperly. They have also challenged the authority with which acting Asere Mantse, Nii Amarkai III enstooled the 'new' Ga Mantse. A Principal Elder of the Asere Ga state, Amarkai Amarteifio, who spoke on behalf of the elders, called for calm and asked stakeholders in the Ga state to allow the Courts to decide the rightful claimant to the Ga stool.