The biggest division among the Ga State, Gbese, yesterday launched its paramountcy at a colourful ceremony held at the Alisa Hotel in Accra.
The Gbese Mantse, Nii Ayi-Bonte II, speaking at the ceremony underscored the need for the promotion of peace to enhance development.
He stated that if the masses wanted to see massive development in Gbese and Ghana as a whole, then there was no need to indulge in any acts that could cause disturbances.
As paramount chief, NiiAyi-Bonte assured that he would ensure his paramountcy provided scholarships achieve great feats.
Education, he said, contributes to development, as it enables individuals gain the ability to have access to knowledge and skills which would add value to their lives.
The Gbese Jaasetse and Principal Kingmaker of the Gbese Stool, Nii Okai Kasablofo V, launching it said all Gbese chiefs, queens and other stool holders would be allowed to share their skills and abilities as long as they continued to be under the authority of the Gbese paramountcy.
He revealed that with the Gbese stool lands spanning 104 satellite towns, it was only 30 per cent which the Gbese Stool Authority superintends because the rest had been converted into family lands, personal lands and corporate lands without the consent of the Gbese Stool paramountcy.
This, he said, was as a result of years of protracted chieftaincy disputes and litigation within the area.
“The litigation has come to an end and it will happen no more so let us all rally behind Nii Ayi-Bonte II and unite Gbese and its people.”
“All Gbese Stool lands which were acquired illegally must be surrendered to the paramountcy without fail and under the amnesty of six months granted, commencing April 2023. No extension of amnesty will be entertained,” he added.
He appealed to all Gbese market queen mothers to also ensure they were registered under the Gbese Stool paramountcy to enable them contribute their quota towards the advancement of the Gbese State.
The Agbogbomefia of Asogli, Togbe Afede XIV, in his remarks congratulated the paramount chief and called on all Gbese indigenes to submit to the will of authority in the area and desist from acts that could cause disturbances.
He said Nii Ayi-Bonte II fought a good fight to get to the level he has found himself currently and, therefore, deserved all the support of the people to carry out his mandate satisfactorily.
According to him, Gbese was the largest traditional set-up within the Greater Accra Region “that is why during my tenure as president of the National House of Chiefs, I gave the maximum support towards the aspirations of Nii Ayi-Bonte II.
He noted that chieftaincy played significant roles in the affairs of the country therefore all traditional issues needed to be accorded the needed attention for the betterment of the populace.
The British High Commissioner to Ghana, Ms Harriet Thompson who is a development queen mother of Gbese, on her part assured that she would support the traditional ruler in his quest to keep bringing development to the Gbese area and improve the lives of the indigenes.
BY RAISSA SAMBOU
