Chiefs Raise Alarm: Sampa Is Sitting On A Time Bomb

Traditional leaders in the Sampa Traditional Area of the Bono Region have warned that rising tensions over a long-running chieftaincy dispute are showing early signs of degenerating into a conflict similar to the protracted crisis in Bawku, calling on the President to intervene urgently to prevent further violence.

Speaking at a news conference in Accra yesterday, Nana Kwadwo Magsah, Kokoahene and the Adontehene of the Sampa Traditional Council and Nana Abu Srigbo, Abusuapanin of the Afia Takyiawaa Royal family, said the situation in Sampa, the district capital of the Jaman North District, had reached a critical point, with growing lawlessness, unresolved killings, and alleged disregard for court orders threatening the stability of the town.

According to the chiefs, what began as a traditional disagreement over succession to the paramount stool has escalated into a serious security concern that requires immediate intervention from the state?

“We must speak with painful honesty: Sampa is showing the early signs of becoming another Bawku,” the chiefs said, warning that the cost of prolonged conflict, destruction of property and continuous security deployment could become a national burden if the situation is not addressed swiftly.

Sampa, they stressed, is not a remote settlement, but a key economic and administrative centre with a population of more than 20,000 people.

The town serves as the administrative capital of the Jaman North District and is widely regarded as a major cashew trading hub and an important border town that sustains cross-border commerce with Côte d’Ivoire.

The chiefs said peace in the town is, therefore, essential not only for residents, but also for traders and farmers whose livelihoods depend on stability in the area.

At the centre of the dispute is the succession to the Sampa paramount stool, a matter that has been under mediation for nearly two decades.

The Nananom (chiefs) explained that both the Sammor Duah and Afia Takyiwaa royal families voluntarily submitted the dispute to the authority of the Asante overlord, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, for arbitration.

After years of consultation and customary adjudication, the mediation process reportedly determined that the Afia Takyiwaa family had the right to nominate the next chief.

The family subsequently nominated Nana Samgba Gyaflaa II, whose installation was later formalised through gazetting under Ghanaian law.

The chiefs emphasised that gazetting a chief is not merely ceremonial, but constitutes legal recognition by the state under the Constitution and the Chieftaincy Act.

However, they said the decision was met with resistance from the rival faction, leading to heightened tensions in the town.

According to the Nananom, threats of violence were issued even before the gazette was published, warning that chaos would erupt if the process continued.

“Families ran for their lives as flames consumed generations of hard work,” the chiefs said, lamenting that justice has still not been served for those who lost their lives.

The traditional leaders further alleged that recent attempts by the rival faction to organise funeral rites for the late Paramount Chief and Queen Mother were carried out despite a court injunction obtained by the Ghana Police Service to prevent further escalation.

They expressed concern that the injunction was ignored, claiming that some influential personalities and traditional authorities were present when the rites were conducted.

The chiefs warned that such actions undermine public confidence in the rule of law.“When court orders are treated as mere options, what message is sent to the ordinary citizen?” they questioned.

Another source of tension, they said, is the alleged attempt to sell lands in Sampa despite a standing court order prohibiting such transactions.

The Nananom cautioned that land disputes could fuel a deeper and more dangerous conflict if unauthorized sales continue.

They said Nana Gyaflaa II has so far exercised restraint by relying on legal processes rather than retaliation, despite the violence that has occurred.

However, they stressed that patience alone cannot guarantee peace without decisive state protection.

The chiefs therefore called on the President, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to ensure the enforcement of court orders, provide protection for the gazetted chief, investigate acts of violence and arson, and halt all unauthorized land transactions.

They also expressed concern that confidence in regional and district security structures had eroded, urging the government to restore trust through impartial action.

“Prevention is always less costly than repair,” the Nananom said, urging authorities to act quickly before the crisis deepens.

They warned that the warning signs are already visible and that failure to respond promptly could allow tensions in Sampa to escalate into a protracted conflict similar to that experienced in Bawku.

 

 

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