By Paul Mamattah
The Paramount Chief of Teshie and President of the Teshie Traditional Council, Gbetsoolo Nii Ashitey Akomfra III, has appealed to the government for urgent intervention in addressing key security and development challenges confronting the Teshie community.
He expressed concern over the rising chieftaincy disputes, inadequate infrastructure, and other developmental needs that require immediate attention.
The Paramount Chief of Teshie emphasized that the Teshie community is in dire need of government support to address these challenges and improve the overall well-being of its residents.
Gbetsoolo Nii Ashitey Akomfra III, made the plea when the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, paid a working visit to the Teshie Traditional Council as part of her ongoing tour of all the 13 Traditional Councils in the region.
The tour aimed at strengthening cooperation and dialogue between regional authorities and traditional leadership.
In his address, Gbetsoolo Nii Ashitey Akomfra III, expressed grave concern about rising security issues in Teshie, emphasising the need for a stronger police presence to curb increasing criminal activities and chieftaincy disputes.
“Security concerns in Teshie are increasing, and a greater police presence is needed to curb criminal activities,” he stressed.
The Paramount Chief also highlighted the persistent chieftaincy disputes across the Greater Accra Region, noting that only gazetted chiefs are legally recognised.
He urged individuals contesting traditional authority to seek redress in the courts, stating, “In Greater Accra, almost every traditional area is contested. But what matters is who the law recognises… If anyone disagrees, they should go to court.”
On development concerns, Gbetsoolo Nii Ashitey Akomfra III, drew attention to the abandoned landing beach project, describing it as a danger to local fishermen.
According to him, the stalled project has led to the destruction of canoes and loss of lives, and he appealed to the Minister to intervene to ensure the project is redesigned and completed for the benefit of the community.
He further lamented the community’s prolonged power challenges due to a non-functional transformer.
“Our people are suffering because we have no functioning transformer… Businesses and homes are affected,” he said, calling for government assistance in securing a new unit.
The Paramount Chief also appealed for transport support for the Traditional Council, noting that the absence of a council bus has hampered their operations and community engagement efforts.
Responding to appeals made by the Paramount Chief of Teshie, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Hon. Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, urged the Chiefs and people of Teshie to promote unity and avoid internal divisions as the community works toward addressing its development challenges expressing concern over the protracted chieftaincy disputes in the area.
She appealed to traditional leaders to resolve their differences in the interest of peace and progress.
Mrs. Ocloo revealed that an anonymous benefactor had pledged to donate a bus to the Teshie Traditional Council by January next year to support its operations.
“While I was seated here, an individual who asked me not to disclose his identity said we should give him until January, by which time he will come and donate a bus to the Council,” she announced.
The Minister also assured that she would work closely with the local Member of Parliament and key government agencies, including the Electricity Company of Ghana and the Ministry of Energy, to address the transformer shortage that has left sections of the community without power.
Addressing concerns over her ongoing visits to traditional councils, Mrs. Ocloo clarified that the engagements are part of her official responsibilities as Regional Minister.
She stressed that her tours are not influenced by chieftaincy contestations but are meant to build dialogue, promote peace, and support collaborative development efforts.
With the Christmas festive season approaching, Mrs. Ocloo called on the Teshie Traditional Council and other traditional bodies in the region to remain vigilant and report security threats promptly, underscoring the need to safeguard peace and stability during the holidays.
The meeting brought together traditional authorities, security heads, local government officials, and other stakeholders for extensive discussions on issues such as transport needs, power challenges, security, and stalled infrastructure projects.
Commitments were made to tackle the concerns through coordinated action.
