House of Chiefs codifies lines of succession

Accra, Feb 12, GNA- The National House of Chiefs is undertaking a project to codify lines of succession to stools and skins in the country to stem the many disputes and conflicts plaguing the chieftaincy institution.

Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Minister for Chieftaincy and Culture, told Parliament on Tuesday that research on the lines of succession had so far been completed on 21 stools and skins in seven different regions of the country.

Answering questions on what the Ministry was doing to resolve the numerous chieftaincy disputes pending at the various Regional House of Chiefs, Mr Boafo said the project to codify the lines of succession had however been put on hold for lack of funding.

"Mr Speaker, the Ministry is making the necessary effort to invite donors to support the important project and it is hoped that Parliament will approve more funding in the Ministry's budget in due course for the continuation of this research project which is expected to be the panacea of the numerous chieftaincy disputes," the Minister said. Mr Boafo said the absence of counsels at some of the Regional Houses of Chiefs to assist Judicial Committees of the Houses as required by the 1992 Constitution had brought delays in resolving chieftaincy disputes.

He added however that, the Ministry had been consistent since it was established in 2006, in assisting the Regional House of Chiefs to recruit counsels.

"Mr Speaker, currently, most of the Regional Houses of Chiefs with the exception of the Northern, Central and Eastern Regional Houses of Chiefs have have their own counsels.

"Arrangements have been made with the Attorney General's Department to second lawyers to service the Northern and Central Regional House of Chiefs, whilst the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs is being serviced by the counsel of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs," Mr Boafo said.