By Laudia Sawer, GNA
Tema, Nov. 13, GNA – The Tema Traditional Council (TTC) has stated that the Tema Stool is an autonomous paramountcy with a mandate to determine its own affairs and is not under any other stool in the Greater Accra region.
The TTC, at a press conference addressed by Nii Amarh Soumponu II, the Tema Stool Secretary and Shipi, said they had observed that an impression was being created in the public sphere that Tema was under the Ga Paramountcy.
Nii Soumponu explained that Greater Accra had 13 paramountcies that were all autonomous of each other, stating that the fact that all of them spoke the same language does not necessarily mean they were from the same town.
He added that Tema’s autonomy dated back to the pre-colonial era, emphasising that they had exercised that right as indigenes without any external influence or allegiance.
“We, therefore, deem it necessary to state that the right we enjoy remains today as it was. And so, it is unthinkable for any chief who enjoys the same status as we do to claim superiority over his colleague paramount chiefs in the Greater Accra Region,” he said.
The Traditional Council said in order of the various capacities regarding the stools, the highest title to the occupant of each stool was the paramount chief, noting that “as much as we are at par with them in that capacity, it is unjustified for them to claim superiority over us.
“The worst we can do is to readjust ourselves as Ga people by convention and put things the way we would want them to be,” Nii Soumponu said.
The Council further explained that all the Ga paramountcies came from the Far East after different sojournments and settled on the coast, stressing that even Nungua, who came first, had never claimed superiority over any town.
“We reiterate that Tema is autonomous and that the relationship that existed between us and Ga Mashie was that of an alliance and not allegiance. We as people of Tema do not swear any oath of allegiance to any chief in the Greater Accra Region,” he stressed.
The traditional council indicated that they would forward the statement through the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs to the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, to have their concerns promptly addressed.
GNA
Edited by Christabel Addo