Indigenes of Assin Worakese in the Assin Central District in the Central Region have called on government to step into the dispute surrounding the community's cocoa plantation at Nkukuoasa in the Assin North District.

This follows a chieftaincy uproar between Nana Dr. Dankwah Ameyaw II and Nana Professor Okogyeaman Dankwa Ameyaw Kokroko ll who battles over the throne as to who legitimately owns it.

However, clash over the cocoa plantation between these chiefs ignited over a 40-year compensation the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) ought to pay to the Assin Wurakese stool upon acquiring a 450 acre parcel of land for the purpose of establishing a Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) research station.

A compensation the COCOBOD has since 1977 failed to honour.

In view of this, Nana Prof. Okogyeaman Dankwa took up the matter to the Assin Fosu High Court in 2024, which ruled in his favour. Thus, granting him a writ of possession to the plantation.

But Nana Dr. Dankwah Ameyaw ll, being unpleasant with the judgement that compensation of the plantation be paid to Nana Prof. Okogyeaman Dankwa Ameyaw Kokroko ll following a ruling which issued him a writ of possession to the farm land, contested the ruling on the need for the stool he occupies be paid that royalties, since he argue of being the legitimate chief of the area.

Meanwhile, speaking at a press briefing, Nana Dr. Dankwah Ameyaw ll disclosed how bad situation regarding the plantation has been, coupled with how peeved his people are against Nana Prof. O.D.A. Kokroko ll, which can see the community turn into a war torn zone should nothing be done on the subject matter by government in the next two weeks.

Additionally, some enraged individuals of Assin Wurakese also alleged that Nana Prof. O.D.A. Kokroko ll upon taking over possession of the cocoa plantation, has laid-off workers of the plantation and rather recruited landguards and his family members to work at the farm, leaving them helpless.

Nana Professor Okogyeaman Dankwa Ameyaw Kokroko ll in addressing the allegations levelled against him, described Nana Dr. Dankwah Ameyaw ll to be a self acclaimed chief, who has been destooled off the throne of Assin Wurakese since 20th November, 2015.

In pointing out to COCOBOD as to the legitimate chief to pay this longstanding compensation to, upon serving them all necessary court documents, Nana Professor Okogyeaman Dankwa made an emphatic statement to COCOBOD that the game (in withholding payment of the community's deserving compensation) is over. Thus, the need for them to honour their unfulfilled assurances of over 40 years now.

Nana Karikari, Obusuapanyin to the Kurontihene of Assin Wurakese together with some workers of the plantation in labelling Nana Dr. Dankwah Ameyaw ll of not being chief of the area, again accused him and his people of conniving with COCOBOD to receive unwarranted payments in other to secretly support COCOBOD to continually cheat the community of its compensation.

Sompaonline.com//Eric Annan