Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has asked the new Ashanti Regional Police Commander, DCOP Arthur Osei Akoto, to focus on combating crime and maintaining general law and order, while referring all chieftaincy and land disputes directly to him for resolution.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II made the statement during a courtesy call by DCOP Akoto at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi on Wednesday, November 6, 2025.
The meeting served as a formal introduction of the new commander, who replaces COP Emmanuel Teye Cudjoe, recently promoted and reassigned to the Police Professional Standards Bureau at national headquarters in Accra.
Otumfuo addressing the delegation, highlighted the collaboration between traditional authority and law enforcement. He emphasized his role as an arbitrator of land and chieftaincy issues within the Ashanti Kingdom.
“Here in the Ashanti Kingdom, land and chieftaincy issues rest in my domain and not with the police, I am the one who arbitrate all such issues,” he said.
He therefore urged the commander to defer to him on these matters stating “If any person such as a chief comes to you tell them ‘I am going to his majesty to inquire’. If you find out anyone is misbehaving on land issues just come and inform me. It is not your work, once it comes to my attention everything will be resolved no matter what.”
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II highlighted his track record in restoring peace through arbitration noting that all chieftaincy matters no matter the issues or parties involved are resolved whenever they are brought to his ‘court’.
“When it comes to chieftaincy issues also, just bring them to me. You can come and witness for yourself when I am leading arbitrations, those who act rowdy in your presence are calm when they appear here. Peace is always restored,” he said.
On crime prevention, he charged the commander to prioritize efforts against theft and other social vices to ensure prevailing peace in the region.
“When it comes to crime and the others, ensure that they are all dealt with for peace to prevail,” he added.
The Asantehene also issued a stern warning against landguardism, a persistent challenge in land disputes across Ghana. He affirmed that the Ashanti Region remains free of such practices under his oversight, declaring.
“I’ve told him that we don’t have issues of landguardism here. Any chief that dares to bring a landguard shall incur my wrath. They are all aware that they dare not,” he said.
He reiterated that lands entrusted to chiefs are for stewardship, not exploitation through violence.
“When I entrusted the land in their care I never asked anyone to bring in land guards to take over the land so it is not for them to bring in landguards to kill people. If there’s any land dispute it should be brought to my attention, we will call you and resolve it to bring peace,” Otumfuo affirmed.