By Daniel Bampoe
The simmering political feud between the Member of Parliament for Akyem Oda, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, and the Birim Central Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Solomon Brako Kusi, has taken another dramatic twist after the Akyem Kotoku Traditional Council sanctioned the MCE for performing traditional rites at a riverside without the knowledge or approval of the traditional authorities.
The Omanhene of the Akyem Kotoku Traditional Area, Oseadieyo Dr. Frimpong Manso IV, imposed a fine of GH¢2,000, one sheep and bottles of schnapps on the MCE after summoning him to explain his decision to invoke the river gods during a public ritual linked to the ongoing illegal mining (galamsey) dispute with the constituency’s Member of Parliament.
The latest development follows weeks of heightened political tension between the two public officials over allegations of illegal mining activities in the Birim Central Municipality.
The controversy began after the Akyem Oda MP repeatedly accused the Municipal Chief Executive during appearances on radio and television programmes of allegedly having links to illegal mining operations, popularly known as galamsey.
The allegations have been strongly denied by the MCE, who insists the accusations were false and calculated to damage his reputation and influence President John Dramani Mahama to remove him from office.
Frustrated by what he described as persistent public attacks on his integrity, Solomon Brako Kusi abandoned the courtroom approach and instead turned to traditional customs.
At the banks of a river in Akyem Oda, he performed a ritual involving the slaughtering of a sheep and the pouring of libation, invoking the river gods to judge anyone making false accusations against him and symbolically handing the matter over to the deities.
The unusual move generated widespread public debate, with many questioning both the appropriateness of the ritual and its implications for the growing political rivalry in the municipality.
Upon learning of the ceremony, the Akyem Kotoku Traditional Council summoned the Municipal Chief Executive to appear before the Omanhene to explain why such a significant traditional rite had been performed within the traditional area without first informing or seeking the consent of the recognised custodians of the land and its sacred sites.
Following the meeting, Oseadieyo Frimpong Manso IV ruled that although the MCE may have acted out of frustration over the repeated allegations levelled against him, he had breached traditional protocols governing the performance of rites at sacred rivers.
As a result, the Traditional Council fined the MCE GH¢2,000, one sheep and bottles of schnapps. The items, according to the Overlord, are to be used to pacify the river gods and perform the necessary customary rites following the unauthorised ceremony.
Despite imposing the sanctions, the chief expressed sympathy for the MCE’s circumstances, acknowledging that the ritual appeared to have been motivated by frustration rather than disrespect for traditional authority.
The Akyem Kotoku Paramount Chief also commended Solomon Brako Kusi for what he described as his developmental efforts in the Birim Central Municipality and urged him not to allow political distractions to derail his work. He appealed to residents to disregard rumours and allegations that have not been substantiated.
Earlier, the Akyem Oda MP had responded to the MCE’s invocation of the river gods by dismissing the ritual, urging the Municipal Chief Executive to seek legal redress in the courts if he believed he had been defamed.
Citing Proverbs 26:2, which states that “an undeserved curse does not come to rest,” the MP maintained that he would not be intimidated and insisted that his campaign against illegal mining would continue.
The MCE, however, continues to reject the allegations against him, insisting he has never engaged in or facilitated illegal mining activities.
