Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah has been accused of thwarting the implementation of a Supreme Court order for the capital of Atwima kwanwoma District to be relocated from Foase to Twedie
The Atwima Kwanwoma district carved out of the Bosomtwe Atwima Kwanwoma district almost a decade ago had its capital sited at Foase.
A Supreme Court decision in 2012 however directed that the district capital is moved from Foase to Twedie.
At a news conference Tuesday, residents of Twedie claimed the regional minister who they have had series of meetings with regarding the relocation exercise, has been dragging his feet on the implementation of the court order.
Assembly member for the area, Collins Osei, said in view of the current situation, the Atwima Kwanwoma District Assembly has not been able to hold its general assembly and committee meetings since the beginning of the year.
He said any attempt to go ahead with such meetings would “constitute contempt of the law court.
“This means that, the assembly will not qualify for DDF, cannot take any major decision and implement same, no checks and balances as the assembly are barred from holding any meeting to deliberate on issues” he said.
Attempts to move the district capital from Foase sparked violence clashes in the area between the youth and the police on February 7, 2018.
The District Chief Executive, Nana Okyere Tawiah, prior to the violent incident had visited the palace of the Foasehene the same day to inform the chief on preparations to move to the new district capital to Twedie.
Minutes later, some aggrieved residents of Foase trooped to the local assembly to disrupt work. They blocked the main road leading to the town, locked up the DCE and vandalized property.
The police dispatched two reinforcement teams to the town to restore order.
Two residents died from gunshots while 15 others, including police personnel, got injured in the clash between the residents and the police.
The chief of Foase, Nana Bediako Appiah Ampam, expressed disappointment in the relocation of the district capital to Twedie.
By Antwi Boasiako|Akoma FM|3news.com|Ghana