Pampaso Traditional Council Invokes Curses on Kumasi Mayor and Officials Over Disputed Land

Key Takeaways

• The Pampaso Sub-Traditional Council in Kumasi has invoked curses on the Kumasi Mayor, Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, Ashanti Regional Police Commander DCOP Arthur Osei Akoto, and the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak.
• The council claims that the disputed parcel of land, currently occupied by the Ashanti Regional Police Headquarters, was originally released to the government by the Pampaso Chief for public use.
• The council alleges that the Ashanti Regional Police Command has extended beyond the agreed boundaries and allocated part of the disputed land to a private developer for the construction of shops.
• The chiefs performed traditional rites at the disputed site, slaughtering a sheep and invoking curses against the three officials.

The Pampaso Sub-Traditional Council in Kumasi has invoked curses on the Kumasi Mayor, Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, Ashanti Regional Police Commander DCOP Arthur Osei Akoto, and the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, over a disputed parcel of land.

The council claims that the land currently occupied by the Ashanti Regional Police Headquarters, Police Bungalows, the Children’s Hospital area, and adjoining lands was originally released to the government by the Pampaso Chief for public use.

Background & Context

The Pampaso Traditional Council has long maintained that the disputed land belongs to the Pampaso Stool and has been used for public purposes without the consent of the traditional authority.

The council has previously invited the Ashanti Regional Police Commander and the Kumasi Mayor to provide evidence of the Police Service’s ownership of the disputed land but have been unable to do so.

Key Findings

The Pampaso Gyaasehene, Nana Obeng Afriyie, said the council has no objection to lands legitimately allocated to the government but is opposed to what it describes as the unauthorized occupation of additional stool lands without the consent of the Pampaso Stool or the Asantehene.

The council alleges that the Ashanti Regional Police Command has extended beyond the agreed boundaries and allocated part of the disputed land to a private developer for the construction of shops.

Broader Implications

The invocation of curses by the Pampaso Traditional Council has sparked concerns about the potential consequences of the dispute on the relationship between the traditional authority and the government.

The dispute also raises questions about the role of traditional authorities in the management of land and the need for greater collaboration between traditional and government institutions.

Looking Ahead

The Pampaso Traditional Council has vowed to continue to use all available traditional and legal means to protect the disputed stool lands.

Efforts to obtain a response from the Ashanti Regional Police Command and the Interior Ministry were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.