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Collapsing Akyem Oda’s Chief Palace demolished

Collapsing Akyem Oda’s Chief Palace demolished

The one-storey palace belonging to the Omanhene of Akyem Kotoku Traditional Area at Akim Oda in the Birim Central Municipality of the Eastern Region which was gradually collapsing has been demolished.

This was after the intervention of the Member of Parliament (MP) for Oda, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, who led a delegation including the staff of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to inspect the extent of damage to the property after a portion of it collapsed last week.

The MP who expressed worry over the situation attributed it to lack of maintenance as the two factions of the Agona royal family had been sitting aloof and did not know which of them was responsible for the maintenance of the palace.

On Saturday morning, the whole building which was becoming a death trap was completely razed down by the authorities.

The palace has been neglected for a long time as a result of a 23 year chieftaincy dispute between the two royal Agona families of Akyem Kotoku.

After the demise of the late Omanhene, Okofobuor Agyeman Attafuah IV, the two royal families, the Attafuah and Frimpong Manso factions have disagreed about who should ascend the throne as Omanhene.

When it was posing danger, following its gradual weakness the main road behind the palace linking the Oda old and new townships was temporarily closed to vehicular traffic to avoid preventable deaths in case the rest of the building collapsed.

Queen Mother’s Reaction

The Queen mother of Akyem Kotoku Traditional Area, Nana Akua Asantewaa III recently in a media encounter said the condition of the palace currently demanded its immediate demolition and reconstruction to save lives.

According to her, she saw the coming disaster about four years ago and called for the vacation of the occupants to pave way for the reconstruction of the palace.

The Queen mother explained that an emergency meeting with the MP, the Municipal assembly, and the stakeholders would be held and raise funds to reconstruct it.

She, however, appealed to the government, non-governmental organizations, and well-to-do Akyem Kotoku citizens to help financially to demolish the palace and replace it with a modern one befitting the palace of Akyem Kotoku paramount chief.

The MP of the area has also appealed to NADMO and other stakeholders to cooperate for the immediate total demolition and reconstruction of the building to prevent casualties.

—DGN online

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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