The Asere Kotopon Division has rejected an ultimatum to vacate the Asere Palace at Kaneshie in the Greater Accra Region, insisting that it will not surrender the property to the Asere Djorshie Division.
The Chief of Asere Kotopon, Nii Asere Boi VI, made the position known at a press conference in Accra, where he declared that his division would not vacate the premises by the Wednesday, October 7, 2026 deadline issued by the Djorshie Division.
He said the demand had no basis in history or law and challenged the Djorshie Division to substantiate its claim to the property.
“We will not vacate the said premises,” Nii Asere Boi VI declared.
The dispute follows a letter dated September 30, 2026, signed by Nikoi Olai Amashie, who described himself as the Asere Manste and Paramount Chief of the Asere Traditional Area.
The letter directed the occupants of the Asere Palace, which also houses the Asere Traditional Council, to vacate the premises by October 7.
Nii Asere Boi VI, however, said the Kotopon Division did not recognise Mr Amashie as the Asere Manste, explaining that the division knew him as the Asere Djorshie Manste.
He acknowledged that there was a rotation system governing the Asere chieftaincy, and said his division believed it had been denied its turn.
However, he maintained that the chieftaincy rotation issue was separate from the ownership and occupation of the Kaneshie property.
According to him, the property was allocated to chiefs and families of Asere through the Oworsika Stool when the government acquired land in the area as part of efforts to address a housing shortage.
He said about 150 families had laid claims to the land at the time, but insisted that the Djorshie Division was not involved in the allocation.
Nii Asere Boi VI said the government subsequently developed housing estates in the area, including an extension to Bubiashie, and allocated the portion in question to the Asere chiefs and families.
“Everybody, every family here who got a key to their house was given to them from the Oworsika Stool,” he said.
He questioned why the government would have allocated the property through the Oworsika Stool if it belonged to the Djorshie Division.
The chief further disputed the description of the building as the official palace or residence of the Asere Manste.
“We allocated this house for ourselves. It wasn’t an Asere Palace. We named it that way,” he said.
He challenged anyone claiming otherwise to produce archival documents showing that the property was officially designated as the palace or residence of the Asere Manste.
Nii Asere Boi VI also claimed that his division had settled a debt associated with the property, saying receipts could be produced to establish who paid for it.
He rejected suggestions that a court-related report recognising the Asere Manste automatically gave the Djorshie Division the right to take over the premises.
He said the Djorshie Division was free to acquire land and construct its own palace rather than attempt to take possession of the existing property.
“I don’t think anybody has the right to go to somebody’s house and claim ownership,” he said.
The firm position of the Kotopon Division has heightened tensions ahead of the October 7 deadline, with concerns over a possible confrontation at Kaneshie.
The Asere Kotopon Division has therefore made it clear that it will remain at the premises, leaving attention on the response of the Djorshie Division and whether the dispute will be resolved through dialogue or other lawful processes.
