The celebration of this year’s Kundum festival by the chief and people of Apremdo, a suburb of Takoradi in the Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipal Assembly (EKMA) of the Western Region turned bloody Wednesday when youth groups belonging to two chieftaincy factions clashed.
The fierce clash, which occurred Wednesday evening at about 7 pm led to the burning of some houses whils some people suffered acid burns.
Apremdo is a suburb of Takoradi in the Effia-Kwesimitsim Municipal Assembly (EKMA).
Apremdo is a Divisional Council under Ahanta Traditional Council at Dixcove; the community has been sitting on a time bomb as a result of chieftaincy dispute between the two factions.
One of the factions supporting the chief, Nana Egya Kwamena XI had insisted that the Queen mother, Nana Mozu VIII had been destooled while the other faction backing the queen mother is of the view that it is rather the chief who has been destooled.
As part of the steps taken to ensure that peace prevailed in the area, the Municipal Security Council (MUSAC) advised the people not to celebrate the Kundum festival this year.
However, one of the factions, believed to be supporters of the chief despite the directive of the MUSAC not to celebrate the festival for security reasons, started the Kundum with drumming and dancing on Wednesday, prompting the other faction to confront them physically.
Some houses were set ablaze while other persons involved in the clash suffered acid burns and cutlass wounds. The police were quickly called upon to help restore order.
The police have since arrested nine persons in connection with the violence Wednesday.
The arrested persons include; Kofi Arhin 21, Edward Johnson 21, Evans Amoah 30, Solomon Wuru 50, Jona Odum 25, Joseph Essien 43, John Baidoo 47, David Osei Yalley 24 and John Banasco 35.
The police retrieved drums, daggers, machetes, gong-gongs, and a talisman from them.
The Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Police Service in the Western Region, DSP Olivia Ewurabena Adiku, who confirmed the incident to Atinka Media Village, explained that the incident occurred on Wednesday at about 7:27 pm.
She said the Municipal Chief Executive Officer of the Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipal Assembly Mr. Kojo Acquah who called to inform the Kwesimintsim District Police Commander, Superintendent Peter Aidoo informing him about the clash at Apremdo.
The District Commander after the call from the MCE quickly informed the police patrol team at Kwesimintsim to proceed to the scene and calm the situation.
She indicated that some group of people suspected to be loyalists of Nana Egya Kwamina XI, the Chief Of Apremdo, was drumming amidst dancing and singing in preparation for the celebration of the Kundum festival at the weekend.
She added while the drumming and dancing were going on, the other group believed to be followers of the queen mother, Nana Mozu VIII led by one John Nat Panyin attacked the former and sprinkled some substance suspected to be acid on them.
Ghana | Atinkaonline |Matthew Dadzie.