Feeding cost for security personnel on peace-keeping duty at Old Tafo in Kumasi has become a subject of conflict between chiefs and public officials.

The traditional council is demanding reimbursement of GH¢26,000 spent on feeding troops since last February’s disturbances in the town.

The Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), however, says it cannot meet the demand because it never agreed to such arrangement with the chiefs.

About 30 police and military personnel were deployed to maintain order at Old Tafo where disagreement over the erection of a cemetery fence erupted into violence.

One person died in the ensuing clashes and some property, including vehicles are destroyed.

The security personnel was mandated by the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to maintain curfew imposed on residents as well as general order.

At least two police officers have been attending guarding duties at the Tafo palace after the team was withdrawn.

The Tafo Traditional Council says it has so far spent over Gh¢26,000 to feed the troops between February and March for which it is demanding a refund.

The Council made the demand in a letter dated March 3, addressed to the RCC, copied to the National Peace Council and Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA).

Paragraph 2 of that letter reads, “It may interest you to note that an amount of GH¢20,646.60 has been spent as feeding cost for the personnel from February 11 - March 3, 2016. It would be appreciated if the cost would be refunded to the Tafo stool.”

Tafo Krontihene, Nana Akuoko Frimpong who speaks for Tafohene has been making a case for the claim in an interview with Nhyira FM.

Flanked by the Akyeamehene and the Kyidomhene, he said the Council is unhappy about RCC’S handling of the issue and therefore wants the presidency to intervene.

Photo: Ashanti Regional Minister, John Alexander Kwabena Ackon, says RCC cannot bear the cost.

The registrar of the Council, Daniel Kwame Appiah, who has been giving some detail about how the debt was incurred said neither the KMA nor the RCC has responded to the letter.

“When they [police] came, it became the responsibility of nananom to feed the police and give all necessary assistance to them. By 3^rd of March, an amount of about 260 million old Ghana cedis, that is Gh¢ 26, 000 had been spent on feeding the peace-keepers. When they left, we still keep on feeding them; at least GH¢10 per head per day which has cost us also a huge sum of money,” he said.

“If there are security issues they have to station police there, budgetary provision is made by the relevant assembly to take care of that situation," he added. 

According to Mr Frimpong, this intervention was an operation by the police to help resolve the issue so they expected everything to officially be in the hands of police and the metro assembly. 

"At times offering services to police to aid their duties is not a bad idea but I guess there was no agreement to the effect that it should be effect at the expense of the assembly,” he said.

However, Mr Ackon who doubles as the chairman of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) tells Nhyira FM there is no arrangement committing the Council to feed the security personnel on behalf of the KMA or the RCC.

“The chiefs may have done very well by trying to help to resolve peace by providing resources but it cannot be done and say go and charge it government," he said. 

He was emphatic government system does not work that way although he promised they will find out how to discuss the issue.

"You cannot decide to feed some people because you think you are doing some good and on doing that good, you extend that pay for me. Government systems are discussed agreed and if even that occasion needs it, it would be done,” he explained.