The District Minister of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana in Akyem Oda, Rev. Appiah Safo Kantanka, has questioned the decision by the Birim Central Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Solomon Brako Kusi, to invoke traditional curses against the Member of Parliament for Akyem Oda, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, describing the move as unnecessary and avoidable.
According to the clergyman, the MCE should have sought legal redress if he believed he had been defamed, rather than resorting to traditional rites, particularly when such practices are reportedly prohibited within the Kotoku Traditional Area.
Speaking in a telephone interview with 1960news.com, Rev. Appiah Safo Kantanka urged both political leaders to de-escalate tensions and allow peace to prevail in the interest of the people of Akyem Oda.
He disclosed that the executives of the Local Council of Churches are expected to meet soon to consider inviting both the MP and the MCE for mediation in an effort to restore calm.
“The dispute between the MP and the MCE has been in the public domain since last year, with the MP consistently alleging that the MCE has been condoning illegal mining activities in the municipality. The MCE has equally denied those allegations on several occasions. If he felt the allegations were false, the appropriate avenue was the court of law rather than invoking curses,” Rev. Kantanka stated.
He stressed that the church does not support the use of curses or spiritual intimidation to settle political disagreements and believes dialogue remains the best path toward reconciliation.
“We do not condone such acts. As church leaders, we are peacemakers. The executives of the Local Council of Churches will meet to consider inviting both parties so we can plead with them and broker peace. We are not interested in condemning either leader but in helping them smoke the peace pipe and reduce the political tension and uneasiness in the municipality,” he said.
Rev. Kantanka reminded the two leaders that, as public office holders, they are expected to demonstrate exemplary leadership and promote peaceful coexistence.
“You are leaders, and leadership comes with responsibility. There was no need to go to the extent of invoking curses. Apart from the fact that our tradition frowns on such practices, Christianity also does not support them. At all costs, both the MP and the MCE should give peace a chance because the people they lead are unhappy with the current situation.”
He further cautioned that disagreements are inevitable in public life but should always be resolved through lawful and peaceful means.
“It is not healthy because, as human beings, conflicts will arise from time to time. When they do, we must find appropriate ways of resolving them instead of resorting to curses. We are all working towards the development of Kotoku, and anything that threatens progress should be avoided.”
The Presbyterian minister also urged political actors to exercise restraint in their public utterances regardless of party affiliation.
“We should all be circumspect in our utterances, whether we belong to the NPP or the NDC, because many people look up to us. Our actions and words should unite rather than divide the people,” he added.
Rev. Kantanka’s comments come days after Birim Central MCE Solomon Brako Kusi publicly performed traditional rites at the banks of the River Birem, locally known as Asuo Bremu, in Akyem Oda.
On Friday, July 31, 2026, the MCE reportedly poured libation and sacrificed a ram while invoking traditional deities to punish anyone deliberately making false allegations against him.
Mr. Brako Kusi said the ritual was prompted by what he described as persistent accusations by Akyem Oda MP Alexander Akwasi Acquah linking him to illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
The MCE denied the allegations, insisting he has never engaged in or supported illegal mining activities within Birim Central. He further claimed the accusations were politically motivated and intended to tarnish his reputation and influence President John Dramani Mahama to remove him from office.
The incident has intensified political tensions in Birim Central and sparked widespread public debate, particularly because the Kotoku Traditional Council is widely reported to prohibit the public invocation of curses within its traditional jurisdiction.
With the controversy continuing to dominate discussions in the municipality, religious leaders are now seeking to intervene, hoping to bring both sides together and prevent the dispute from further deepening political divisions in the area.
By 1960news.com
