The Homowo celebrations at Achiaman, a suburb of Amasaman in the Ga West Municipality of the Greater Accra Region, turned bloody when two factions in a chieftaincy dispute in the area took to stones and machetes to settle scores. Nine people including one of the chiefs, Nii Achia Ankomah II, sustained various degrees of injury. An eyewitness who spoke to the Daily Graphic on condition of anonymity said fighting between the feuding parties broke out when Nii Kwartey Adjan II, the other chief in the dispute, started sprinkling Kpoikpoi in the community, contrary to a directive from the police that activities to mark the Homowo celebrations be held indoors. The source said when Nii Adjan's group reached the precincts of the residence of his rival, Nii Achia, his supporters prevented them from sprinkling the Kpoikpoi. The source said in the ensuing melee, supporters of the two chiefs started throwing stones at each other while others armed themselves with machetes and inflicted wounds on their opponents. The source said police officers who were in the area to maintain peace and order took to their heels when the fight broke out abandoning the residents to their fate. However, when the Daily Graphic team visited the town last Sunday, calm had returned with the residents going about their duties. When contacted to speak on the issue, the Secretary to Nii Achia, Mr Alex Akuamoah-Boateng, told the Daily Graphic that the root cause of the conflict dated back to 2000, when some elders of the Achiaman Traditional Council broke rails with Nii Achia to install Nii Adjan without any reason. According to him, Nii Achia had been the chief of the area for 27 years until 10 years ago when Nii Adjan was illegally installed bringing strife and acrimony to the area. He stated that even though the Amasaman District Police had directed that there should be no outdoor celebration of Homowo in the area, Nii Adjan disregarded the directive and even went about sprinkling Kpoikpoi. Source: Daily Graphic