Accra, July 23, 2025 – In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court of Ghana has quashed a lower court order directing the National House of Chiefs in Kumasi to restore Nii Tackie Adama Latse II to the National Register of Chiefs as the Ga Mantse, the Paramount Chief of the Ga State. The ruling, delivered on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, upholds a certiorari application filed by King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, the recognized Ga Mantse, and reaffirms his position as the legitimate holder of the Ga Mantse Stool.
The legal battle stems from a November 2021 Kumasi High Court ruling that ordered the National House of Chiefs to reinstate Nii Tackie Adama Latse II’s name to the National Register of Chiefs as Ga Mantse. The High Court’s decision followed a discovery in April 2021 by Nii Adama Latse II that his name had been expunged from the register without evidence of destoolment, death, or abdication—prerequisites for such an action. The National House of Chiefs, along with an interested party, Nii Tetteh Ashong V, appealed the High Court’s ruling but faced defeat when the Court of Appeal in Kumasi unanimously upheld the decision on June 12, 2025, ordering the restoration of Nii Adama Latse II’s name within 14 days. The appellate court imposed fines of GH₵30,000 and GH₵20,000 on the National House of Chiefs and Nii Tetteh Ashong V, respectively, for pursuing what it deemed unfounded challenges.
King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, represented by Professor Peter A. Atupare, promptly escalated the matter to the Supreme Court, filing a certiorari application on June 18, 2025, to quash both the High Court and Court of Appeal rulings. The application argued that the High Court, presided over by Justice Frederick Tetteh, committed a jurisdictional error by ordering the restoration of Nii Adama Latse II’s name without notifying or hearing King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, thereby violating principles of natural justice. The legal team further contended that Ghanaian courts lack jurisdiction over chieftaincy matters, which fall exclusively under the purview of the Judicial Committees of Traditional Councils and Regional and National Houses of Chiefs, as stipulated by Ghanaian law. They also highlighted that the rulings risked creating an “irrational and illogical” scenario where two individuals could simultaneously be listed as Ga Mantse in the National Register, contrary to customary and legal frameworks.
In its ruling, a five-member Supreme Court panel, presided over by Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang, agreed with King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II’s legal team, finding that the High Court’s failure to afford him a notice and hearing constituted a breach of his constitutional right to be heard in proceedings affecting his rights and interests as Ga Mantse. The court quashed the order to restore Nii Adama Latse II’s name, effectively affirming King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II’s position. The decision has sparked jubilation among supporters of King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, with celebrations reported outside the Supreme Court.
The Office of the Ga Mantse issued a statement on June 13, 2025, clarifying that the Court of Appeal’s ruling was procedural, addressing an administrative order of mandamus rather than conferring chieftaincy legitimacy on Nii Adama Latse II. The statement emphasized that the substantive matter of who rightfully occupies the Ga Mantse Stool remains unresolved and is pending before the Judicial Committee of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs in Dodowa, under Suit No. GARHC/P2/2019, with Nii Adama Latse II as the petitioner and King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, among others, as respondents. The Office reiterated that King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II remains the duly recognized Ga Mantse until the Judicial Committee rules otherwise and urged GaDangme citizens to remain calm and disregard misinformation.
The chieftaincy dispute has been a source of tension within the Ga State, fueling divisions and disrupting traditional governance for years. The Supreme Court’s ruling marks a significant development, but with the substantive matter still under deliberation, the question of legitimacy continues to loom. The National House of Chiefs has also filed for a stay of execution pending a separate application for special leave to appeal the Court of Appeal’s decision, signaling that the legal saga may yet see further twists.
As the Ga State awaits the Judicial Committee’s final determination, the Supreme Court’s decision has brought temporary clarity, reinforcing King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II’s standing. The Office of the Ga Mantse has called for unity and patience, urging the public to treat interpretations of the rulings with caution to avoid further confusion.
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