Journalists in Eastern region have expressed their disgust over directive by Okuapeman Traditional Council asking them to make daily payment of GHC50 before allowed to cover the final funeral rite of the late Paramount Queen mother of Okuapeman, Nana Dokua.
According to the Council, only a handful of media houses accredited will be allowed to cover the final funeral rite hence any media house willing to provide media coverage must pay amount of Ghc50 daily before allowed to provide news coverage of the traditional ceremony.
The stance by the traditional Council pissed off some journalists who were invited to a press conference by the Council on Thursday at Akropong on Wednesday.
The Journalists after spending over six hours waiting for the Press conference to start, were suddenly asked to pay Ghc50 before allowed to cover the Press conference and subsequently pay Ghc50 daily till the end of the funeral rite.
This compelled some of the journalists to boycott the presser.
The final funeral rite of the late Okuapehemaa starts Thursday at the forecourt of the Akropong Akuapem Chief Palace.
She will be buried on Saturday. The late Nana Dokua was born on 1922 and died in 2016 shortly after the burial of the late Okuapehene, Oseedeyo Addo Dankwah.
Okyehemaa Galamsey incident.
Drama reportedly unfolded Tuesday when Okyehemaa,Nana Dokua stopped a Linguist from casting insinuations against Okyeman over illegal mining menace.
The linguist while pouring libation ,lamented that,ancestors in Akyem Abuakwa are now thirsty because their river bodies have been polluted by illegal mining activities therefore should come for alcohol to drink through the libation.
This did not go down well with Okyehemaa, traditional mother to the stool, who had visited the Palace to fulfil some traditional duties ahead of the final funeral rite of the late Queen mother of Okuapeman.
The livid Queen mother ordered the her aids to whisk away the microphone from the linquist,a situation which nearly created confusion at the funeral.
Dignitaries expected
The final funeral rite of the late Queen mother is expected to be attended by high profiled personalities and diplomats including Ghana’s President Nana Akufo Addo, former Presidents of Ghana particularly John Dramani Mahama, and others.
Most Traditional rulers from across the country are also expected to show last respect to the late queen mother.
