Dormaahene ‘Betrayed’ As Bono Regional House Of Chiefs Deny Taking Any Decision To Suspend Berekum

The Bono Regional House of Chiefs has officially disclaimed the purported suspension of the Berekum Traditional Council from its assembly. This statement was issued following a legal challenge against the suspension announcement made by Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, the President of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs.

The controversy began on December 18, 2023, when a group of paramount chiefs, led by Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II—who also serves as the Paramount Chief of the Dormaa Traditional Area—publicly announced the suspension of the Berekum Traditional Council. The announcement was supported by the paramount chiefs of Suma, Wenchi, Kwatwoma, Nsawkaw, and Dwenem Traditional Areas.

Dissatisfied with the decision, Nana Ofori Gyabaah, a royal from Senase-Berekum, filed a writ at the Sunyani High Court challenging the suspension. In response, the Bono Regional House of Chiefs submitted an ‘affidavit in opposition’ through its Registrar, Madam Ama Konadu Kusi, which clarified the official stance of the House.

The affidavit, which was made available to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), unequivocally stated that “the Bono Regional House of Chiefs has never met to take a decision to suspend the Berekum Traditional Council.” It elaborated that the decision was made independently by the paramount chiefs, reflecting their personal relations with the Berekum Traditional Council rather than an official directive from the House.

“The Bono Regional House of Chiefs has not suspended the Berekum Traditional Council because it is not a member to be suspended. It is rather its Paramount Chief, who is a member, by operation of law,” the affidavit continued, emphasizing the legal structure governing the House’s membership and decision-making process.

Further, the affidavit underscored that the House of Chiefs operates under statutory regulations, indicating that no individual chief has the authority to make administrative or judicial decisions on behalf of the House without meeting statutory requirements. It was noted that the decision by the chiefs was a personal one, underlined by Article 247(3) of the 1992 Constitution and Act 759, and not an administrative or judicial act by the House.

This development marks a significant clarification in the internal dynamics of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs, highlighting the distinction between personal decisions by individual chiefs and official actions by the statutory body. The case continues to unfold as the High Court deliberates on the matter.

Source: GhanaFeed.Com