The Principal Elders of James Town, Ngleshie Alata Traditional Area, have taken a step further, to streamline the asset management of the ancient coastal community, by inaugurating an eleven-member Council to effect the change.

The Council chaired by the Chief of Anumansa Division of James Town and Principal Elder of Ajumanko Dawurampong Royal Family, Nii Kweikuma IV, has other members including Chief of Adansi Division, James Town, Nii Sackey Akumea (Vice Chairman), Head of Hanson Family, James Town, Nii Hanson (Treasurer), Chief of Plerno Division, James Town, Nii Ardenkpa VII (Asst. Treasurer), Daniel Nii Arde Tagoe (Secretary) and Nii Odarlai Bruce (Asst. Secretary).

The rest are: the Senior High Priest of Anumansa Division and James Town, Numo Bordai III, Head of Trome Family of James Town, Mr. Charles Heward Mills, Stool Father of James Town, Nii Appiah V, a Kingmaker of James Town, Nii Sampa Kojo and the Senior High Priestess of Anumansa Division of James Town, Banafo Baakan.

The move by the Principal Elders of James Town comes exactly a month after securing an interlocutory injunction from the High Court to restrain their Paramount Chief, Nii Kojo Ababio V, and his agents, workmen and representatives from “alienating or disposing of land of James Town Stool”.

The Principal Elders’ Council has been tasked to study the expectations of oversea members of the James Town Stool as well as the role that the people of the ancient coastal community could play in the economic, social and technological advancement of the area.

The Council is also expected to examine the current traditional, cultural and administrative machinery that governs the people and bridge the developmental gaps that are apparent in the customary functionaries of the James Town Stool. 

It is also expected of the Council to make recommendations on measures to resolve the problems faced by the James Town Traditional Area and more importantly, the Ngleshie Alata Stool.

At the inauguration ceremony in Accra last Thursday, Chairman of the Principal Elders’ Council, Nii Kweikuma IV, told journalists that their intervention meant the end of poverty, ignorance, and inequality of opportunity.

“We end today, a period of ill future and James Town will discover her lost paradise once again. The achievement we celebrate today is just a step, an opening of opportunity to greater achievements that await us. Freedom and power bring responsibility”, he declared.

He said for the past thirty-five years, the people of James Town have suffered injustice under the 94-year old occupant of the Stool of the area, Nii Kojo Ababio V. He said the living standards of the people of James Town are nothing to write home about due to lack of developmental projects.

He said with the Council now in place, their immediate responsibility is the organization of the major final funeral rights of their deceased chiefs and principal elders which has been ignored by the occupant of the Stool since 1978 to date.

Additionally, they would convert the Plaza Cinema to James Town community center, construct a modern night market, construct a well equipped modern abattoir with cold storage facilities, and construct a library, a clinic, a nursery, kindergarten and a primary school for the people.

That notwithstanding, they would construct a modern and well-equipped public place of convenience, recreational centers, research library and rehabilitate the harbor landing beach.

Furthermore, they would establish a training school solely to upgrade the Chiefs, Queen Mothers, Principal Elders and Officers of the Stool  in the following subject modules; Role of God in tradition; Leadership (Traditional and Organisational); Diplomacy; International Relations; and Local governance.