Creation of New Regional Capitals ... Nkoranza Chiefs Unhappy With Dan Botwe

By Daniel Dzirasah

Nkoranza — The chiefs and people of Nkoranza traditional area in the Brong-Ahafo Region have expressed their displeasure over the siting of the new Bono East regional capital.

They claimed that even though government is yet to name the regional capitals for the six newly created regions, the traditional council was aware that the Minister of Regional Reorganisation and Development, Dan Kweku Botwe and his deputy, Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah as well as other influential people in government have already settled on Techiman as the new regional capital for the Bono East.

At a press conference addressed by the spokesperson of the Nkoranza Traditional Council, Nana Owusu Dwomo, he explained that although President Nana Akufo-Addo has the prerogative to select the regional capital, such a decision should be based on factors such as accessibility and the central location of the area.

These factors, they claimed would have made Nkoranza the perfect choice.

However in a telephone interview with the Ghanaian Times, Mr. Botwe refuted the claims by the chiefs, explaining that his outfit was not involved in the selection of capitals for the newly-created regions.

"I just came across this information in the news and I can tell you for a fact that the ministry has not held any meeting to determine which town is named regional capital.

We cannot even do that because the President has the sole prerogative to announce which town or area becomes the capital. The truth is, it is all in the hands of the President," he stated.

Mr. Botwe was, however, confident that the President would undertake extensive consultations with all relevant stakeholders including the traditional leaders before the decision is made.

"I do know the President, will before the final decision, hold several consultations with chiefs before he takes a final decision. The people of Bono-East will on Wednesday receive their Constitutional Instrument from the President," he added.

On why Nkoranza should be the preferred choice for the capital of the Bono East Region, Nana Owusu Dwomo said the town was accessible and central between Techiman to the West, Mo traditional area to the North, Atebubu-Amantin traditional area to the east and Yeji traditional area to the North-East.

"Because these areas are inaccessible, people in Sunyani, the current regional capital refers to them as far east people. Nkoranza traditional area is not only the centre of the proposed Bono-East Region but it is also accessible to all the traditional areas including the far-east people.

Moreover, Nkroranza traditional area is the largest of all the traditional areas in terms of landmarks, population and untapped natural resources," he said.

Nana Owusu Dwomo further claimed the Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, Evans Opoku Bobie and the local planning committee sidelined the Nkoranza Traditional Council from participating in very important meetings affecting the creation of the Bono-East Region.

"On many occasions, the Ministry of Regional Re-organisation and Development and Coalition Executive failed to invite chiefs from the Nkoranza traditional area to attend meetings organised by them," he indicated.

The chief noted that their exclusion from such meetings was only an orchestration to eliminate the chiefs and people of Nkoranza from participating in decision-making process as to where the regional capital was sited.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will, from today to Friday, issue constitutional instruments to give effect to the creation of the six new regions.

The new regions, North East, Savannah, Bono East, Ahafo, Western North and Oti were endorsed in a referendum held in the affected communities recently.

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