The Nii Boiman Mantse of the Boiman Asere Divisional Council in the Kotopon Ga State, Nii Ayi Mensah Okropong I, has called on President John Dramani Mahama to remove the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Okaikwei North Municipal Assembly, Christian Tetteh Badger, accusing him of bias and actions that are allegedly creating tension within the community.
According to the traditional leader, the MCE has mishandled a number of issues involving traditional authorities, land and development within the municipality, particularly a dispute over a parcel of land where he intended to hold this year’s Homowo celebration.
Nii Ayi Mensah Okropong I made the call in an interview with the media on Saturday, August 22, 2026, during the celebration of the Nii Boiman 2026 Homowo Festival.
Nii Ayi Mensah Okropong I, Nii Boiman Mantse
He alleged that the MCE had frustrated him and was allegedly supporting individuals involved in disputes with the traditional authority.
“Somebody has built on that high tension, and the MCE went there and supported him and gave him our Common Fund. We reported everywhere, no response. So the MCE is rather creating problems for this community,” he alleged.
The chief further accused the MCE of using his position to support a person he described as a “destooled chief,” claiming that the individual had benefited from the Assembly’s Common Fund to undertake development on land allegedly situated under high-tension electricity lines.
He therefore appealed to President Mahama to investigate the matter and determine whether the MCE was acting in the interest of the government or that of an individual.
“We are asking the President to help us go through this case and ask him, was he representing the President or is he representing an individual?” he questioned.
Nii Ayi Mensah Okropong I also claimed that about three months ago, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Okaikwei North had decided to remove the MCE from office, alleging that Mr Badger subsequently sought his intervention.
He said he brought together traditional leaders in the area, engaged the Member of Parliament and appealed to the youth to support efforts to resolve the matter.
According to him, the intervention helped to calm tensions at the time.
However, he alleged that the MCE had subsequently turned against him and was allegedly supporting the installation of what he described as a “fake chief” in his area.
“He frustrated me. Just this Wednesday, the MCE told me he went and marked my property because he knew I was going to celebrate Homowo,” he said.
The chief’s concerns intensified over the use of a parcel of land where he intended to celebrate Homowo.
He explained that he had formally informed the Assembly about his intention to hold the celebration at the location for only one day.
According to him, after he cleared the area in preparation for the event, officials of the Assembly placed a notice on the property instructing him to stop work because the land was allegedly under investigation.
He said he subsequently contacted the MCE to find out who had ordered the stoppage.
According to the chief, the MCE mentioned “Hon. Kofi Boakye”, Director of Security Operations at the Presidency, as the person who had allegedly issued the instruction.
Nii Ayi Mensah Okropong I said he subsequently went to the Jubilee House to verify the claim but was informed that Kofi Boakye was unavailable.
He later met an aide identified as Namfuri, who, according to the chief, contacted Kofi Boakye and was informed that no such directive had been issued.
“He said, ‘Go and tell him that Kofi Boakye has never given him any order,’” the chief recounted.
The traditional leader accused the MCE of allegedly creating stories around the matter and said he was subsequently reported to the police.
He, however, claimed that he had earlier informed the various police commanders about the planned Homowo celebration and said the police assured him of protection and the maintenance of peace during the event.
Nii Ayi Mensah Okropong I called for a thorough investigation into the conduct of the MCE, arguing that his alleged actions were contributing to tension in the community.
“I am not the only person he is frustrating. I learned there are a lot of people,” he said, adding that he had received messages from others who allegedly had similar experiences with the MCE.
Responding to the allegations, the Okaikwei North MCE, Christian Tetteh Badger, denied backing any individual in a chieftaincy dispute and said his responsibility was to collaborate with traditional and religious leaders to promote development in the municipality.
Christian Tetteh Badger, MCE, Okaikwei North
He explained that since assuming office about one and a half years ago, he had been formally introduced to three gazetted chiefs with whom the Assembly officially conducts correspondence.
According to him, these include the Achimota Chief, the Akwetemane Chief and the Abeka Mantse.
“These are the three chiefs that officially, since I came, we have been working with. However, there are other chiefs within the municipality who also entitle themselves as chiefs,” he said.
The MCE insisted that he had not supported any side in the chieftaincy dispute involving the traditional leader.
“I have not, and I will state emphatically, not backed any chief into any chieftaincy matter,” he said.
He added that he was not in office to fight traditional leaders but to work with them to bring development to residents.
Mr Badger also provided an explanation for the Assembly’s intervention at the disputed parcel of land.
He said the land, located around Fraga Oil along the N1 Highway, had previously been occupied by the Produce Buying Company (PBC), but had allegedly become dilapidated after the company vacated the area.
According to him, the abandoned structures and containers had become a security concern, with alleged reports of thieves and miscreants operating in the area.
He said the Assembly, through its Works Department, took steps to remove the containers to improve security.
The MCE said several individuals subsequently came forward claiming ownership of the land, prompting the Assembly’s Anti-Corruption Unit to investigate the ownership of the property.
“So the Anti-Corruption Unit started an investigation into who is the rightful owner. We have had a series of meetings. We have had a series of summons to appear to give my side of the matter,” he said.
He said the Assembly consequently instructed all parties not to undertake any activity on the land until the investigation was completed and the rightful owner determined.
Mr Badger said the Assembly later received intelligence that grading work was being undertaken on the land despite the instruction.
He said he contacted the police to accompany Assembly officials to the location, but the grader had already left by the time they arrived.
The MCE said officials subsequently discovered that some notices placed on the walls had been removed and that a barricade near a footbridge had also been damaged.
He said he later learned that the traditional leader intended to use the disputed land for the Homowo celebration.
The MCE said he reported the matter to the police and asked them to ensure that no activity was carried out on the land while investigations continued.
“I am not fighting Nii Ayi Mensah. I am protecting a land which is supposed to be government property, of which is under investigation,” he said.
He maintained that until the investigation was concluded and a report issued, the Assembly would not permit any individual to undertake activities on the property.
The MCE also denied allegations that he had supported the construction of a building under high-tension electricity lines.
He said no individual, to his knowledge, had approached him for permission to construct a permanent structure under high-tension cables within the municipality.
“As I sit here, I have not granted permits for anybody to build under any high-tension cable,” he said.
Mr Badger, however, promised to instruct the Assembly’s engineers to inspect any such development and take appropriate action if the construction was found to be unauthorised.
“If it’s not rightful, we’ll write on it and notify them to remove. If not, then we demolish,” he said, stressing the safety risks associated with constructing permanent structures beneath high-voltage transmission lines.
He also said he did not want to be drawn into the chieftaincy disputes between individuals claiming traditional authority within the municipality.
“I want to stay out of their chieftaincy issues. I was not brought to come and settle chieftaincy matters, but I was brought to ensure that we will work and collaborate with chiefs to bring development to the people,” he said.
The MCE said the Assembly had engaged traditional councils to help resolve outstanding questions surrounding the legitimacy of various traditional authorities within the municipality.
He said correspondence had been sent to the relevant traditional councils to expedite processes concerning the gazetting and recognition of chiefs.
According to him, the Municipal Security Council (MUSEC) had also discussed the matter, with the authorities working to maintain peace while traditional disputes were being resolved.
The MCE maintained that his administration would continue to work with officially recognised traditional authorities while engaging the relevant traditional councils on disputes involving other claimants.
The allegations and counter-allegations came against the backdrop of the Nii Boiman 2026 Homowo Festival, which brought together traditional leaders and residents to celebrate the annual Ga festival.
The celebration attracted several traditional rulers from the Ga State, including Nii Asere Boi VII, the Asere Mantse of the Asere Kotopon Traditional Area within the Ga Mashie Division of the Ga State in Accra.
Nii Asere Boi VII led the traditional performance of sprinkling kpokpoi, a key ritual associated with the annual Homowo celebration.
Nii Asere Boi VII, Asere Mantse of the Asere Kotopon Traditional Area sprinkling kpokpoi, a key ritual associated with the annual Homowo celebration.
While the festival provided an opportunity for traditional leaders and residents to celebrate Ga cultural heritage, the dispute involving the Nii Boiman Mantse and the Okaikwei North MCE has raised concerns about land administration, chieftaincy relations and the role of local government authorities in managing disputes within the municipality.
The Nii Boiman Mantse is now urging President Mahama to intervene and investigate the allegations against the MCE, while Mr Badger insists that his actions are aimed at protecting public property, maintaining order and ensuring that unresolved land and chieftaincy matters do not degenerate into conflict.
By 1960news.com
