Alexander Asum-Ahensah, Minister for Chieftaincy Affairs is challenging the Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Tawiah II, known in private life as Dr. Joe Blankson to clear the numerous court cases filed against him to merit official recognition by the government. It is only then will he be gazetted and subsequently be acknowledged by the government. “He has cases to answer at the Dodowa regional house of chiefs and then at the various courts in Accra regarding his position as a chief. "…so the government cannot go on and deal with such a chief who has questions to answer on his position,” he explained. Nii Tackie Tawiah has been angered over what he says is a deliberate government design to sideline him and to disrespect the Ga state. He alleged none of the Ga chiefs was invited to the last State of the Nation’s Address by President Mills even though other traditional councils were well represented by a cross-section of chiefs. According to him, the government has failed to recognize him because of a growing perception that he was installed by the previous government- a perception he refutes forcefully. But the chieftaincy minister said the Ga Mantse’s accusations against the president are not justified. He told Joy News’ Evans Mensah that Nii Tackie Tawiah must rather work his way through the many legal tussles after which he will be duly recognized. He said the accusations against the president were "displaced aggression." Re-echoing the concerns of the Chieftaincy Minister, the President of the National House of Chiefs Prof S. Nabila said they cannot proceed to register or recognize Nii Tackie Tawiah as a chief until he has settled the court cases against him. Until such a time, he remains a community chief of the Ga people. But S.K. Boafo, former Minister of Chieftaincy Affairs during the Kufuor regime, insists Nii Tackie Tawiah has the mandate of the Ga people. According to him, the Ga Mantse by inference, hails from the appropriate lineage, was validly nominated, and installed as a chief in accordance with the relevant customary law. He also debunked assertions that the numerous court cases against him takes away his power as Ga chief, explaining, the mere fact of court cases does not in any way deny people their right to chieftaincy. He emphasized that the previous government had no hand in the installation of the Ga Mantse, but had to work with him, in compliance of the Constitution which frowns on the government meddling in chieftaincy affairs. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana