Communal Clashes Leave Tuobodom A Ghost Town

Monday March 08, 2010
By Ian Motey, Tuobodom

Tuobodom, a farming community near Techiman in the Brong-Ahafo Region has virtually become a ghost town following two days of communal clashes that left three people dead and many other injured.

Able-bodied men, women and children have fled the town for fear of reprisals.

Fighting broke out in the community on Friday night following reports that Nana Baffour Asare II, one of the chiefs in the town had been allegedly kidnapped by a body guard of the Techiman Paramount Chief, Oseadeyo Akumfu-Ameyaw.

Tuobodom has lived with a protracted chieftaincy dispute for years now. Nana Baffour Asare pays allegiance to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, whilst another chief of the town, Barima Obeng Ameyaw II pays allegiance to the Techimanhene.

The alleged kidnapping of Nana Asare took place at Wenchi where the chief had attended a court hearing.

The “Times” gathered that supporters of the Techimanhene had accused Nana Asare of being the brain behind an assassination attempt on the life of Oseadeayo Ameyaw in November 2008.

When he was allegedly kidnapped at Wenchi, he was sent to the palace of the Techiman Omanhene where he was rescued by the police.

This Times learnt angered the supporters of Nana Asare, leading to the clash.

Members of the Brong-Ahafo Regional Security Council, led by the Regional Minister, Kojo Nyamekye-Marfo, visited the town yesterday to assess the security situation and sympathized with members of the bereaved families.

They also paid a courtesy call on both chiefs in the town. Nana Asare was however, not at his Palace to receive the delegation.

Mr. Nyamekye Marfo appealed to both factions to exercise restraint, stressing that government was not happy with the violence that erupted, especially, the loss of lives.

He warned that perpetrators of the acts would be arrested and prosecuted, lamenting that funds which should have gone into development projects were being expended on security operations as a result of the violence.

He appealed to those who had fled the town to return because they would be guaranteed their full protection by the security.

He also appealed to the security personnel to discharge their duties professionally without taking sides in the conflict.

Barima Ameyaw complained about the behaviour of some soldiers who entered his palace while he was sitting in state and arrested one of his subjects.

Mr. Nyamekye Marfo later paid a curtesy call on Oseadeayo Ameyaw at his palace in Techiman where he appealed for calm.

The Omanhene commended REGSEC for acting promptly to curb the violence.

He said the Techiman Traditional Council would always seek for peace but justice must be seen to be done.

He complained that two years after an attempt on his life, nobody had been arrested although he had presented a list of the alleged culprits to the appropriate authorities.

He said the culprits still walked free in town with their shoulders high, adding that it was therefore appropriate that the youth within his jurisdiction arrest such persons and hand them over to the police for appropriate investigations to be carried out.

Doing this, in his opinion, does not amount to committing a crime.”

Meanwhile, Nana Asare has been granted a police enquiry bail and would be arranged before court this week.

Ninety-two security officials made up of 19 soldiers are currently stationed at Tuobodom to maintain peace and order.

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