FIVE INJURED IN VIOLENCE AT TUOBODOM (PAGE 50)

FIVE people suffered gunshot wounds when violence broke out on the outskirts of Tuobodom, near Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region, during the celebration of the annual Yam Festival.
The injuries occurred when some unidentified gunmen were said to have attacked the convoy of the Omanhene of the Techiman Traditional Area, Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw IV, who had been invited to the festival by one of the claimants to the Tuobodom Stool, Nana Obeng Ameyaw II.
One of the injured, Kwaku Takyi, who is said to be in critical condition, has been transferred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi from the Techiman Holy Family Hospital for further observation, while the other four remain at the Techiman Hospital.
The Wenchi Divisional Police Commander, Superintendent Kwame Nkrumah Akumia, told the Daily Graphic at Tuobodom yesterday that the other four injured persons were Stephen Afrifa, Peter Assah, Yaw Frimpong and Kwame Ameyaw, adding that Takyi had been hit in the head by the bullet.
The assailants are alleged to be supporters of the other faction in the chieftaincy dispute who barricaded the main Techiman–Tuobodom road, thereby preventing vehicular and human movement through the town by the large number of people who wanted to witness the festival.
When the Daily Graphic visited the town about 2:00 p.m. yesterday, calm had been restored but the town had heavy military and police presence.
Supt Akumia explained that as part of activities marking the festival, the chief and his people decided to undertake a procession through the town before converging on the Roman Catholic School Park for the durbar.
However, he said a rival faction barricaded one part of the road from Techiman to Tuobodom with all manner of items and the police had to move in quickly to remove the blockade.
According to the Divisional Commander, the security personnel had a hectic time doing so, adding that even after the removal of the blockade, the faction at the end of the town would not allow Nana Ameyaw to pass through their area.
He said around the same time, Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw arrived in the town to witness the ceremony but he and his entourage were prevented from doing so.
He said during that tense moment, there was indiscriminate shooting from a bush nearby, resulting in the injury of the five persons who were quickly rushed to the Holy Family Hospital.
When the Daily Graphic visited Nana Ameyaw’s palace, he was not available for comment. However, Opanin Kwaku Poku, the Ankobea Abusuapanyin, pointed out that the chief and his people had planned to observe the Yam Festival about a month earlier after the successful celebration of the festival by the chiefs and people of Techiman and its environs.
He explained that Tuobodom was the last to celebrate it because of its significance and the position it occupied within the Techiman Traditional Area.
He indicated that the chief and his people had no intention of fomenting trouble, since they were in a festive mood, pointing out that because of the violence perpetrated by the other faction, all the expected dignitaries failed to attend the programme.
At the time of filing this report, the Brong Ahafo Regional Security Council (REGSEC), led by the Deputy Regional Minister, Mr Abraham Kwadwo Kwakye, had visited the conflict zone to access the situation at first-hand and meet the various factions.
Meanwhile, Samuel Duodu reports that in a telephone interview, Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw said he had been invited by the Tuobodomhene, Nana Obeng Ameyaw, who was celebrating his annual Yam Festival at Tuobodom, to come and chair a grand durbar on Tuesday as part of activities to mark the festival.
He said when he and his entourage got to the outskirts of Tuobodom on the Techiman-Tuobodom main road, he saw that the road had been barricaded, saying that when his people attempted to remove it, some unidentified persons who had ambushed them in a nearby bush fired indiscriminately into his convoy, resulting in the injury of five persons, Takyi critically.
The Techimanhene further said his Mercedes Benz, with registration number BA 6525 W, was riddled with bullets.
“But by God's grace I escaped unhurt,” he said.
“Because of the bullet wounds sustained by the five people, we had to rush them to the Techiman Holy Family Hospital where they were admitted. As a result, the durbar did not come on,” Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw stated.