King Kaku Ackah III urges government to fast track development of Nzema

The Overlord Of Nzemaland in the Western Region, King Kaku Aka III has observed that the Nzema area continues to lag behind in development despite the abundant natural resources.

He, therefore, urged the government to ensure that people in the Nzema area get a fair of proceeds from the exploitation of oil and gas and other mineral resources such as gold.

King Kaku Aka III, known in private life as Mr. Isaac Ettie-Amihere, was speaking to Daniel Kaku on emerging oil and gas as well as mining companies and the state of Nzemaland at Awiaso in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region.

He asked the government to establish a University in Nzema and award scholarships to train the youth in the area as the required manpower fit for employment in the oil and gas as well as emerging companies such as the Ghana National Petroleum Development hub project in the Jomoro Municipality.

King Kaku Aka III also proposed a Referral Hospital in the Nzema area to respond quickly to emergencies from oil and gas as well as mining operations.

According to him, development in Nzema required unity, love and peace among all the seven paramount chiefs, Divisional chiefs and queen mothers and advised them to bury their differences, litigations, conflicts and disputes which have retarded the progress of Nzema.

King Kaku Aka III revealed that he had extended invitations to the paramount chiefs and other traditional rulers in the area when he was enstooled in 2014 to resolve conflicts and forge ahead in unity and development but some came others were not willing to come.

He used the occasion to drum home the message that he did not harbor any evil sentiment against any paramount chief or traditional ruler but was ready to settle disputes and foster unity and development.

The King said Nzema was being cheated by companies exploiting natural resources which required unity of purpose from all traditional rulers to fight for equitable shares from the resources to better the living conditions of their people and propel the rapid socio-economic development of Nzemaland.

"All chiefs in Nzema must know that there is one united Nzema so all must unite to give peace and development a chance," he stated.

He said with unity, the traditional rulers could fight for unemployed youth especially graduates from the Universities in the area to be employed in emerging companies.

On the emerging Petroleum Hub Project in the Jomoro Municipality, King Kaku Aka called for an open forum in Nzema to allow the youth to express their concerns, give a quota of employment to Nzemas and enter into a proper agreement between the government and traditional rulers.

The Nzema King explained that "no Nzema man is laying claim to ownership of the oil and gas and others. It all belongs to Ghanaians but wherever resources are found, it is important that the people over there at least enjoy a modicum of happiness from those particular resources."

He embraced the Petroleum Hub Project but reiterated the need for government to scale down the land size from an initial 20,000 acres to 5,000 acres of land to avoid generational losses of land.

The Nzema King also appealed to President Nana Akufo-Addo to ensure that government did not encroach on the Ankasa forest reserve strictly meant for game to protect animal species in their natural habitat.

He said 14 species of animals that could not be found anywhere in the world, were found in the Ankasa forest and asked the government not to destroy it.

He said genuine concerns to prove that King Kaku Aka is the bonafide owner of Nzema lands and all other rulers are caretakers.

He used the occasion to warn companies in Nzema which continue to persecute the youth of Nzema who are found on their concessions even to death, to halt the practice.

King Kaku Aka III, therefore, urged the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to prosecute the security guards at Adamus Mines who burnt a young man called Michael Dery alias Budo to death in 2021.

Reacting to a statement made by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II some few months ago, he said Dr. Kwame Nkrumah did not hate the Ashantis but cherished Asante culture and treasured a good counsel from the Ashanti Kingdom.

King Kaku Aka said it was not for nothing that Dr. Kwame Nkrumah built the KNUST and the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital all in Ashanti Region.

He said the bond of affinity between Nzemas and Ashantis cannot be downplayed adding that it was long before Kwame Nkrumah, Nzemas and Ashantis co-existed peacefully.

King Kaku Aka III assured Otumfuo Osei Tutu II that Nzemas will continue to treasure the Ashanti monarchy because it is unique and a pacesetter to all others.