Oti Boateng: Demonstration Against Me Was Useless

The Paramount Chief of the New Juaben Traditional Area in the Eastern Region, Daasebre Prof Emeritus Oti Boateng, has described the recent demonstration against him spearheaded by some of his sub-chiefs as useless and irresponsible. Addressing a gathering of journalists and chiefs in the Region on Monday June 27, the President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs described the allegations made against him during last Tuesday�s protest as baseless. According to him, there was no need for the group to have staged the demonstration. He vowed to invite the chiefs who took part in the demonstration to explain their actions to the Traditional Council, adding that the Traditional Council is studying the concerns of the demonstrators and will soon respond. Daasebre Oti Boateng denied claims that he was not qualified to ascend the stool because he is not an indigene of New Juaben, explaining that all New Juaben chiefs originally hail from Juaben in the Ashanti Region. Daasebre Oti Boateng is the elder brother of Asante Juabenhene Nana Otuo Serebuor. Meanwhile the Santahene of the New Juaben Traditional Area, Nana Boateng Kwagyan, has accused a claimant of the New Juaben stool, Nana Topen Serebuor Boateng, of masterminding the demonstration that was held against Professor Emeritus Daasebre Oti Boateng. �Some people are giving some desire to become chiefs at all cost. But they have to wait for their time. If you competed with someone for the position and you didn�t get it, it doesn�t mean you won�t have it forever. You wait for your turn because God�s time is the best. But to be so hasty, trying to get this King removed so that you have the chance is not right. �We are aware of all of their nocturnal activities these days but we have just been watching them because we want peace. If we had done anything, there would have been mayhem. We have been advising Nana Topen to be patient but all the advice has fallen on deaf ears� he claimed. Nana Topen Serebuor Boateng, a member of the New Juaben Royal Family has however denied orchestrating the demonstration because he is displeased with the occupancy of the stool by Daasebre Oti Boateng. According to him, he never contested the stool with anyone because he was the sole qualified person to occupy the stool. Nana Topen Boateng told Citi News the demonstrating chiefs� allegations about the misappropriation and hijacking of funds accruing to the Traditional area were legitimate. According to him, Daasebre Oti Boateng has not accounted for such funds in the past eighteen years. �The man has virtually no plans for New Juaben. I have got a copy of the Democrat newspaper where he claims that I have sent a mobile phone text saying I am going to burn down the Palace and kill him. But this is somebody who has even not lived in the Palace in the last eighteen years. He did all he could in 1992 and I have documents to prove. He did all he could to make sure they remove me and I haven�t complained in the last 21 years, going about my normal duties so I would rather expect that the gentleman should make himself available and answer the allegations which his chiefs are talking about�. The group, which protested against the leadership style of the paramount chief claimed he is unconcerned about developmental issues in the area. He was also accused of failing to cooperate with other chiefs in advancing the growth of the traditional area. The President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs is also accused of interfering in chieftaincy issues outside his jurisdiction. Source: Citifmonline