RE: Okyenhene can’t destool Barima Omane

The Office of the Okyenhene has taken serious note of a Daily Graphic report on Tuesday, March, 18th 2014, in which it was reported in its page twenty headline “Okyenhene can’t destool Barima Omane – Court”.

We wish to express our dismay at the attention given to the four year old judgement of the High Court by the national daily.

It must be noted that the judgement in issue has been completely overrun and overshadowed by recent developments concerning the Nkwantanan chieftaincy impasse

The judgement of the High Court is tangential. It does not absolve Barima Adansi Akyem of the grave substantive charges against him.

The Nkwantanan Royal Stool is a subject matter of Judicial Proceedings pending before the Judicial Committee of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council.

The Judicial Committee of the Traditional Council is a creature of law which exercises adjudicatory authority independent of His Majesty the Okyenhene.

The destoolment proceedings against Barima Adansi Akyem were instituted by kingmakers of his own royal lineage.

We wish to put on record that His Majesty the Okyenhene has no prejudice against Barima Adansi Akyem Omane.

We believe that the interest of the people of Nkwantanan and Okyeman in general would be better served if, Barima Adansi Omane, avails himself for the resolution of the substantive charges against him. Resorting to media gimmicks is neither in his interest nor the interest of Okyeman.

Finally, we wish to express or disappointment at the betrayal of ethical standards by the Daily Graphic. We believe that the publication of the four year old judgement as current news is ill-motivated.

As a responsible national daily, we have a right to expect that it does not allow itself to be used for parochial and sectarian interest that bothers on chieftaincy matters.

We urge all media houses to seek clarification on any such issue from the Public Relations Section of the Okyenhene’s Office. D. M. Ofori-Atta Assistant State Secretary Ofori Panin Fie