Dormaa Council Threatens To Behead Sunyanihene Over Mining Land Dispute

Tensions between the Dormaa and Sunyani traditional authorities have reportedly reached a dangerous level following an alleged threat by the Dormaa Traditional Council against the life of the Sunyanihene.

The development came after the Sunyanihene reportedly gave Jegri Bekala Mining Company Limited 24 hours to vacate a disputed parcel of land. The traditional leader is said to have maintained that the land falls within his jurisdiction.

In response, a representative of the Dormaa Traditional Council allegedly issued a serious warning, stating: “We will cut off the Sunyanihene’s head if we meet him on the land tomorrow.”

The alleged statement has heightened fears that the disagreement could move beyond a traditional land dispute and become a serious security issue involving a direct threat against a paramount chief.

The central issue is a mining concession that both traditional authorities reportedly claim ownership or jurisdiction over. The eviction order issued by the Sunyanihene appears to have further intensified the dispute between the two sides.

Such disputes can be particularly difficult to resolve in Ghana because they may involve longstanding ancestral claims, traditional boundaries, chieftaincy authority and substantial financial interests. The presence of a mining operation has added another layer of economic importance to the disagreement.

Jegri Bekala Mining Company Limited is now caught in the middle of the competing claims, while concerns grow over the possibility of a confrontation between supporters of the two traditional councils.

The situation is therefore likely to require urgent intervention from the appropriate authorities, including the Ghana Police Service, the Lands Commission, the National House of Chiefs and the Bono Regional House of Chiefs.

Stakeholders are expected to take the reported death threat seriously and work quickly to prevent the dispute from escalating. With the eviction deadline reportedly set at 24 hours, fears of possible violence remain high if the matter is not addressed through dialogue and lawful intervention.