The chief of Ankaful, Nana Obura Asankomah Ansah III, has celebrated his 40th anniversary as Odzikro of the area with a strong appeal to the government to prioritize qualified inhabitants in employment opportunities within institutions established on his land.
The anniversary durbar, held at the Ankaful Basic School Park, followed a procession in which the chief was carried in a palanquin through the principal streets. Addressing the crowd, Nana Obura Asankomah Ansah expressed gratitude to God, the 77 divinities, and the ancestors of Ankaful for their protection of the community and Ghana. He reflected on the progress achieved since his installation in 1986, attributing it to his humility and cooperation with paramount chiefs of the Oguaa Traditional Area and his subjects.
Despite these developments, the chief lamented that Ankaful has suffered humiliation due to the presence of institutions such as the Ankaful Prisons Camp, the Leprosy Hospital, the Mental Hospital, and the Nursing Training College. He explained that while these facilities have contributed significantly to Ghana, residents are often stigmatized as prisoners, lepers, or mental patients.
This has led to poor patronage of local businesses and ridicule from outsiders. More troubling, he noted, is that qualified locals are frequently overlooked during recruitment into the prisons service and the Ghana Health Service. He therefore urged the government to ensure that future employment opportunities in these institutions benefit the community. Nana Obura Asankomah Ansah also expressed appreciation to the staff of the Nursing Training College for their support during the celebration.
The paramount chief of the Oguaa Traditional Council, Osabarima Dr. Kwesi Atta II, congratulated Nana Obura Asankomah Ansah on his anniversary, praising his peaceful leadership and wishing him divine guidance. He reminded the gathering of his own involvement in international efforts to seek compensation for slavery-era abuses and cautioned the youth against vices such as drunkenness and smoking, which undermine development.
Patrick Ato Davies, secretary to the chief, recounted the history of Nana Obura Asankomah Ansah’s installation and highlighted his achievements, including reclaiming lands for rightful owners. He identified sanitation as a pressing challenge and appealed to the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly for dustbins to improve waste management. He also raised concerns about reckless riding of motorbikes and vehicles during funerals, announcing a ban on such practices in the community.
Right Reverend Richardson Aboagye Andam, Central Regional Chairman of the Peace Council, emphasized the enduring importance of the chieftaincy institution in Ghana’s socio-cultural and political development. He described chiefs as symbols of unity and custodians of culture, lamenting that modern governance has overshadowed their roles, contributing to rising social vices. He called for renewed recognition of traditional authority and urged peaceful resolution of chieftaincy disputes to avoid violence and destruction.
Ankaful, a farming settlement in the Cape Coast Metropolis, hosts several national institutions, including the prisons, psychiatric hospital, leprosy hospital, and nursing training college. Its proximity to Cape Coast has made it a residential hub for many workers in the regional capital.
