Eastern Regional Minister fires back at “false” claims over arrest of Kwahu Hemaa

The Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, has issued a strongly-worded rebuttal to reports suggesting she sanctioned the arrest of the Kwahu Queen Mother, Nana Adwoa Gyemfu III — describing the claims as false, misleading and a deliberate misrepresentation of the facts.

The Minister’s response follows a news item aired by Agoo 96.9 FM and an accompanying video in which a chief, identified in the story as Nana Nim Sarpong (Abene Bamuhene), alleged that the Regional Minister directly ordered the controversial arrest.

Awatey insists the allegation is baseless, emphasising that at no point did she instruct security personnel to pick up the Queen Mother.

According to the Minister, a delegation of Kwahu chiefs met her on 1 December 2025 at the Regional Coordinating Council to brief her on steps taken after the arrest incident.

The chiefs admitted that they had already contacted the Inspector General of Police (IGP), C.O.P. Christian Tetteh Yohuno, who confessed that the men who stormed the palace wore police uniforms and were acting under police instructions for investigative purposes.

The chiefs further revealed that the IGP apologised because the officers involved were indeed police personnel, prompting him to refer the matter to the Eastern Regional Security Council, headed by Awatey.

Awatey said she expressed regret to the chiefs, not because she ordered the arrest, but because the officers involved fall under the jurisdiction of the Regional Security Council which she chairs.

“I maintain that as a leader, I take responsibility for wrongdoings not because I sanctioned them, but because I am in charge of those who were supposed to have acted better,” she stated.

She stressed that nowhere in her submissions did she state that she instructed the arrest, dismissing the circulating narrative as a distortion crafted to smear her integrity.

The Minister condemned what she described as an “unfortunate twist of facts” designed to damage her reputation and undermine the Regional Security Council. She urged the public to disregard the misleading reports and affirmed her unwavering commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the Eastern Region.

“We do not associate with any of the disputing parties,” she said, assuring stakeholders that her office remains focused on restoring calm and ensuring justice and due process.

Awatey reiterated her oath to serve the Eastern Region diligently, promising transparency, fairness and responsible leadership as tensions surrounding the arrest continue to be addressed.