Mr. Bennet Ankantoa, a former Managing Director of Cocoa Marketing Company (CMC), a subsidiary of Ghana Cocoa Board has been enstooled the ‘Amankorahene’ (development chief) of Chiraa Divisional Area with the stool name Nana Kofi Ankantoa I.
Nana Akantoa I, aged 61 and a professional accountant thus becomes the first ‘Amankorahene’ of Chiraa which is the ‘Benkum’ (left-wing) Division of the Dormaa Traditional Area.
He was also a former Director of Finance at the Ghana High Commission, United Kingdom as well as the Ghana Embassy in Washington, the United States of America and a former Regional Director of the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department for Brong-Ahafo and later Bono Region.
Barima Minta Afari II, the Chief of Chiraa in the Sunyani West Municipality, also the ‘Benkumhene’ (Chief of left-wing Division) of the Dormaa Traditional Area said the chiefs and people of the town appreciated the immense contributions of the new chief towards the area’s progress, hence his installation.
He said the enstoolment of the new chief would not only inspire others at home and abroad to contribute their widow’s mite for the socio-economic advancement of the town, but also motivate him to do even more to help the Divisional Council to meet the development needs of the people.
Nana Yaboaa Pene II, the Queen-mother of Chiraa who took Nana Akantoa I through customary rites after he had sworn the oath of allegiance to serve the chiefs and people with dedication expressed the hope that he would use his “connections” home and abroad to facilitate the rapid and holistic development of Chiraa in particular, and the Dormaa Traditional Area by extension.
Later in an interview, Nana Akantoa I expressed appreciation to the chiefs and people of the Chiraa and the Dormaa Traditional Area for the honour, and assured to work hard to attract investors to the area.
He said development remained a shared and collective responsibility, and appealed to wealthy people in the area to support the poor and also contribute to the progress of the town.
Nana Akantoa I stressed that formal education was not only the foundation of national development, but a prerequisite for individual’s development, and urged parents to invest much of their resources into the education of their children.
He therefore advised students in the area to focus on their studies and avoid promiscuous behavior that could truncate their education and ruin their future.
