Gomoa Obuasi: 6 injured after youth stone chief, vandalise palace, vehicles

Six individuals, including the head of the Gomoa Obuasi Asona Royal Family, Agya Amoh, are in critical condition and receiving treatment at Agona Swedru Municipal Hospital. This follows an attack by some youth of Gomoa Obuasi on the Chief of Gomoa Obuasi, during which the palace and two of the chief’s vehicles were vandalised.

Gomoa Obuasi, a farming community with a population of over 7,000, has been grappling with a chieftaincy dispute for the past five years. The chiefs and elders of the Gomoa Ajumako Traditional Council intervened to install a new chief.

On Sunday, 23rd February, the newly installed chief of Gomoa Obuasi, Nana Mbir Asomako, and his elders were holding a family meeting at the chief’s palace when some youth, allegedly supporting a rival claimant to the stool, mobilised and pelted stones at the chief and his elders, leaving six people with various injuries.

Police sources indicate that the Omanhene of the Gomoa Ajumako Traditional Council, Obrempong Nyanful Akrampah, in consultation with Gomoa Obuasi authorities, appointed Kwabena Atta as caretaker chief of the community following the death of the substantive chief some years ago.

After installing the new substantive chief, Nana Mbir Asomako IX, the regent failed to hand over power to the new chief, leading to the altercation.

The unidentified youth vandalised the chief’s palace, two cars belonging to the new chief, Nana Mbir Asomako, and also assaulted some family members, including the head of the family.

Speaking to Adom News, Nana Mbir Asomako said the unidentified youth stoned them for over three hours before they managed to escape from the palace to the Agona Swedru Divisional Police Command.

He added that the group also sprayed the palace with petrol with the intent to set the place ablaze.

Nana Mbir Asomako called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to increase security in Gomoa Obuasi.