Support Elimina palace project - Nana Conduah project— Elmina Omanhene

A fund raising breakfast has been held in Accra towards the construction of a palace for the Elmina Traditional Area in the Central Region with a call on citizens of the town and well meaning Ghanaians to contribute towards the project.
The Omanhene of Elmina Traditional Area, Nana Kodwo Conduah VI has described as unacceptable a situation where Elmina has not had a palace for its successive chiefs for the past 125 years.
He said although some people did not take kindly to his public declaration that Elmina did not have a palace, he felt it was high time he did that for people to know their problems and offer some assistance.
Elmina has been without a palace since the British bombarded the entire township in 1873. Successive chiefs have to either rent houses and use as palaces or use their family houses instead.
Nana Conduah said “People should not feel ashamed when I publicly say that Elmina has no palace”.
The breakfast was to raise funds to finish the palace comlex project which started over a decade and a half ago. The palace complex which is nearing completion consists of a traditional council office, Omanahe’s office and residence, a library, a museum, a press centre, squash and lawn tennis courts as well as other offices.
Nana Conduah commended organisations and individuals who have contributed so far for the project and expressed the hope that more shoulders would be put on the wheel to raise the remaining Gh¢220,000 that was needed to finish the palace complex.
Briefing the Daily Graphic, Nana Kodwo Eduakwa, the Chief of Atukwa and Akamuhene said in 1873 during the Sweet River Convention when the Dutch the British decided to exchange authority of the area, the then chief of Elmina, Nana Kobina Egyan sent emissaries to inquire about the transfer because he was not adequately informed.
He said this culminated in a misunderstanding between the two and this made the British to bombard Elmina and destroyed the entire township including the palace.
He said currently, the palace is housed in a rented house and any time there was a case involving the landlord, care must be taken because if the case was ruled not in favour of the landlord he might serve ejection notice or increase the rent.
Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, the flag bearer of the Convention People’s party, a native of the area who was commended for his immense support to the project from the onset expressed worry that a place like Elmina was without a palace.
He appealed to all those who hail from the area to contribute their quota to complete the project to enhance the image of the area and boost tourism.
An appeal for funds yielded Gh¢12,000.