By Laudia Sawer
Tema, April 12, GNA – The Tema Clan Houses have backed calls from the Tema Traditional Council (TTC) to have an indigene appointed as the Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), stressing that doing so will help preserve their traditions.
They said this when, they, together with fisherfolks of the area, wearing red bands and chanting Asafo songs, gathered at the Tema canoe beach to protest what they described as an unfair and unjustifiable move by President John Dramani Mahama to appoint an indigene to head the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) in inspite of the many appeals made to him by the TTC.
To back their demand, a cow which had been decorated with a red piece of cloth was tied at the canoe beach, which the clan heads disclosed would be slaughtered at night between the Chemu shrine and another shrine at the Five Beach to seal their demand.
Nii Amarh Ashiboi, clan head for Ashitey Paapatse We, Awudum, and secretary to the Tema Traditional Clan Heads, told the media that they would repeat the slaughtering of the animal as they did when the previous government tried going against their demand.
Nii Ashiboi said, “We will slaughter it this evening, between the Chemu shrine and the other shrine at the Five Beach. We know the agitation and the words we use before we slaughter. And it has consequences.”
He said that with an indigenous MCE, he or she already understands the customs of the people; therefore, dealing with them on that level becomes easy, stressing that the Tema Metropolis was the bosom of the traditions and customs of the Tema people, as their shrines and other installations are located there.
According to him, even though Ashaiman was their land, they have never asked for an indigene MCE there, likewise Kpone and Tema West, which have some of their lands; therefore, they do not understand why governments always decide to stress them over appointing an indigene to the TMA which houses the paramountcy.
He reminded the government that it was legal and right for them to consult the traditional council on such an appointment, reminding the president to fulfil his promise to them when he and the vice president visited the traditional council.
“The President has not given the MP any position in his government even though he won with 9,000 votes against Titus Glover, and in 2024, won with almost 15,000 votes; we did not complain about that. But the MCE position, we won’t agree for it to be given to someone without Tema blood,” he stressed.
GNA
LS/LAA