A Group from the Ada Traditional Area has resolved to resist attempts to frustrate investigations into the alleged embezzlement of receipts from salt tolls from the Songhor Lagoon. Calling itself the Grass roots of the Ten Clans of the Ada Traditional Area, the group said it had uncovered subtle moves by individuals and a group of people to thwart the work of the law courts and state institutions in their effort at coming up with the truth regarding the allegations of embezzlement. This was contained in a press release with 17 signatories; spearheaded by the Divisional Chief of the Tekperbia We of Ada, Nene Korle IV, and issued in Accra yesterday. The release said the Paramount Chief of the Ada Traditional Area and two others must be allowed to prove their innocence in a court of law as it was in motion now. Two divisional chiefs of the Ada Traditional Council- Nene Kupualor Besse and Nene Gaduga Osuama IV - have initiated an action at the Ashaiman Circuit Court for an account of all the money received from salt mines in the Ada Traditional Area. They are also seeking an order directed at the defendants to pay all the money into the account of the traditional council. The plaintiffs are further seeking a perpetual injunction to restrain all the illegal committees set up by the defendants from collecting money from salt miners. The defendants in the case are Nene Abraham Ackuaku, Asafoatse Glaro and Nene Korle. The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) is conducting investigations into the account into which all the money collected by a committee set up by the Ada Traditional Council has been lodged. The office has also been mandated by the court to find out whether the money, amounting to GH¢ 185,300, was still in the account and if not, which personalities withdrew it and for what purpose. The EOCO is vet to communicate its findings to the court. The release said under the Family Accountability Law of the 1992 Constitution every individual or citizen had the right to demand accountability from any leadership which he or she participated to elect, appoint, enstool or entrust family property, adding that the group supported fully “the action by the two divisional chiefs calling for probity and accountability”. “There are judicial judgments which stipulate and set forth the formula of sharing proceeds from salt tolls collected from the Songhor Lagoon,” it stated, pointing out that one third share of the proceeds was apportioned among the 10 clans of the traditional council. “We believe that if well administered, the proceeds could trickle down to the grass-roots families who cannot afford school uniforms for their wards, neither could they provide them with three square meals a day,” the release added. It further suggested that the Dangme East District Chief Executive should be interrogated, since it was being speculated that “he participated in the formation of the eight-member salt toll collection committee and that a substantial amount of money has been paid to him and the Dangme East District Assembly”. Source: Daily Graphic