Residents of four Communities in the Ekumfi District of the Central Region, have expressed their displeasure about the lack of development in their towns.

The communities which included Ekumfi Engow, Ekumfi Eyisam, Ekumfi Abontsen, and Ekumfi Dunkwa attributed the lack of development to chieftaincy disputes which they alleged were masterminded by the Paramount Chief of Ekumfi Traditional Area, Odeefuo Akyin VIII.

The residents, most of whom were the youth took to the streets with red armbands, chanted traditional war songs, and called for the removal of the paramount chief, who they said was thwarting the development of Ekumfi by his actions and inactions.

They, for instance, accused Odeefuo Akyin of installing one Nana Kweku Dual as Chief of Eyisam against the will of the people who had already enstooled one Nana Empraim Osaabo VIII as their chief for the past three years and had been steering the affairs of the town, contributing to development.

This, they explained had been the root cause of the chieftaincy dispute at Ekumfi Eyisam and called on the National and Central Regional Houses of Chiefs to intervene and ensure that peace prevailed.

Addressing the media after the demonstration, Ebusaupayin Yaw Eno Ababio, on behalf of the residents condemned the long-standing chieftaincy dispute at Ekumfi Eyisam which he said was hindering its development.

"The only chief we know in the community is Nana Empraim Osaabo VIII, who started building a teacher's bungalow and created jobs for the youths but because of Omanhen's interference, all the projects are hanging on the rock.

"The entire sub-chiefs, queen mothers, ebusaupayin including the residents are urging Omanhen, Odeefo Akyen to ensure that there is honesty and fairness, corruption-free acts in the process of selecting a successor to the late Nana Empraim Osaabo VIII of the community", he added.

The Youth Leader for the four Communities, Nana Kofi, for his part, said they did not recognize the self-acclaimed Chief of Ekumfi Eyisam as their chief and called for his immediate removal for peace to prevail.

He lamented that Nana Mprem Asaabo, started some developmental projects including the construction of a teachers' quarters, chief's Palace among others, but they have become white elephants due to the chieftaincy disputes.

All efforts to get the Omanhen to speak to the issues were unsuccessful as numerous calls through his mobile phone went unanswered.