Asantehene expresses displeasure over Sampa chieftaincy dispute, implicates government appointees
via GhanaWeb8 min read
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, voiced strong disapproval regarding the ongoing chieftaincy dispute in the Sampa Traditional Area during an Asanteman Council meeting on April 20, 2026. He accused government appointees, including the Interior Minister, Minister of Chieftaincy and Local Government, and the Bono Regional Minister, of using political influence to prevent the legitimate chief from assuming his stool. The Asantehene stated that the Sampa chieftaincy issue had been settled, with the legitimate chief having taken an oath, the matter going to court, and his registration by the National House of Chiefs. Despite this, the regional minister reportedly stated that the chief's security could not be guaranteed in the town, while an illegitimate chief was supported by ministers and the regional police commander. The dispute involves Nana Samgba Gyafia II, who swore allegiance to the Asantehene on December 18, 2023, and Nana Yaw Sammor-Duah II, a rival chief supported by the Bono Regional House of Chiefs, headed by Dormaahene Osagefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II. Nana Samgba Gyafia II filed a lawsuit on June 14, 2024, against the Bono Regional House of Chiefs and the National House of Chiefs, among others. He alleged that the Bono Regional House of Chiefs refused to gazette his name and instead submitted forms for Nana Yaw Sammor-Duah II, disregarding previous arbitration rulings by the Asanteman Traditional Council. The court ruled in favor of Nana Samgba Gyafia II, ackno
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Private legal practitioner and activist, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, has stated that a constitutional review could be the most defining legacy of President John Dramani Mahama. In a post on his X page on Friday, June 12, 2026, Barker-Vormawor argued that the 1992 Constitution has clear limitations, noting that while it established the Fourth Republic, it has "entrenched elitism at every level and made illusory the promise of probity, accountability and transparency." He suggested that the ideals of the June 4th era and revolutionary governance have not been fully realized under the current constitutional framework. Barker-Vormawor believes Ghana still has an opportunity to build a more inclusive “social democracy” through constitutional reforms. An eight-member Constitutional Review Committee has already submitted its report, proposing an extension of the presidential term from four to five years, election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, and the inclusion of traditional chiefs in local government structures. The committee also calls for an end to the hybrid relationship between the executive and the legislature and reforms to reduce partisan influence in the public sector.